Kati Rekai

Kati Rekai, CM (October 20, 1921 – February 1, 2010) was a Hungarian-Canadian writer/broadcaster, author of a series of travel books for children: "The Adventures of Mickey, Taggy, Puppo, and Cica and How They Discover Toronto, The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto 200, Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, Brockville and the Thousand Islands, British Columbia Budapest, Vienna, The Netherlands, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece", published in English French, Polish, Romanian, Hungarian, Chinese and Braille.

Puppet shows based on Mickey, Taggy, Puppo and Cica: "The Great Totem Pole Caper", "The Tale of Tutenkhamen" and "The Boy Who Forgot".

Organizations with which Rekai was associated were:

• CANSCAIP
• Canadian Opera Company
• George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
• Canada-Hungary Educational Foundation
• Friends of Toronto Public Libraries

Rekai was also the weekly cultural commentator for "The Hungarian Show" on the Toronto-based broadcasting station CIAO Radio530AM, and a columnist for Kaleidoscope Magazine.Some of the other positions that Rekai held as a contributor to the literary arts include:

• Arts Commentator, CHIN Radio
• Contributor/Director,Performing Arts & Entertainment Magazine
• Literary Workshops in Schools
• Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee, The Writers' Union of Canada
• Vice-President, Canadian Ethnic Media Association
• Director,Toronto International Exchange Foundation
• Director, Canadian Scene Multi-language News Service
• Director, Hungarian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Director, CREES, University of Toronto
• Director, Toronto Operetta Theatre
• Cultural Columnist, Kanadai/Amerikai Magyarsag

Rekai was granted life membership in the Writers' Union of Canada "in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the advancement of the works of Canadian writers on the world stage".

As Chair of its Foreign Affairs Committee, developed and organized 20 "Canadian Book Exhibitions Abroad" for the Writers' Union of Canada in: Budapest, Hungary; Galatz,Romania; Prague, Czechoslovakia; Berlin,East Germany; Riga,Latvia; Tokyo,Japan; Athens,Greece; New York City; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Kiev, Ukraine; Lanzhou,People's Republic of China; Sofia, Bulgaria; Tirana,Albania; Havana,Cuba; Manila,The Philippines; St.Petersburg,Russia; Cape Town, South Africa; Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Rekai received a number of awards in recognition of her achievements including:

• Prix Saint-Exupery, Francophonie Valeurs-Jeunesse(Paris)
• Knighthood of St.Ladislaus
• Certificate of Honour for Contribution to Canadian Unity
• Rakoczi Foundation Award for the Preservation of the Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Magyars
• Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary for Contribution to the Development of Canadian-Hungarian Cultural Relations
• Sierhey Khamara Ziniak Award for Excellence in Journalism

Appointed to the Order of Canada in 1993 with the following citation: "Has written travel books for children that introduce and promote Canadian cities and European countries through the eyes of four animals, Mickey, Taggy, Puppo and Cica, each of which represents a part of the Canadian mosaic; the books educate children and adults about music, literature, pioneering and native peoples".