FOS Has Established a Flood Relief FundJune 25, 2008Dear Friends, The National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library (NCSML) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa has suffered devastating losses from the recent flooding of the Cedar River. The NCSML is a national treasure for all Czechs and Slovaks. The museum is more than a building; it houses the treasured heritage of the Czechs and Slovaks in America. It needs to be rebuilt. ... Dinner in BratislavaFriends of Slovakia (FOS) hosted its third gala black tie dinner in Bratislava on December 10 in celebration of Slovakia's economic progress. KenWalsh, dean of White House correspondents andWhite House correspondent for US News and World Report was the keynote speaker.Mr. Walsh has covered presidential campaigns for US News since 1986 and is the only White House correspondent who has twice won both the Aldo Beckman Award and the Gerald R. Ford award for distinguished reporting on the presidency.He gave the guests an insightful view of the current U.S. presidential campaign. ... A Life Dedicated to Slovak InterestJoe Senko, a charter board member and treasurer of Friends of Slovakia, has been involved in Slovak affairs since childhood. Both his parents immigrated to the United States from Slovakia as young adults before 1913. They were married in a Slovak church in Pittsburgh in 1914. Joe is the youngest of seven children. He has a master's degree and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant and as a Certified Financial Planner. He was an owner of an accounting firm for 29 years, and he has held offices in various civic, religious, charitable and professional organizations. Joe and his wife, Albina, who was born in Slovakia, have been married 52 years and are the parents of six children. The family still observes Slovak traditions, and in 1999 visited Slovakia to see and experience the country of their ancestry. ... Ambassador Kacer and FOS Honor SAEFOn November 30, Ambassador Kacer and Friends of Slovakia honored the Board and Senior Staff of the Slovak American Enterprise Fund at a small dinner at Ambassador Kacer's residence. Members of the SAEF Board attending included Chair Ginger Ehn Lew, Vice Chair Richard Yancey, Maria Hurajova, Frederick Frank, Oliver Brunovsky, Pavol Karasz, Mary MacPherson, former Board Chair J. Veronica Biggins and senior staff members Matej Fekete and Peter Srpon. Ambassador Kacer and FOS Founding Chairman Ted Russell made remarks pointing out the importance of the work of SAEF in contributing to Slovakia's success in developing a vibrant market economy and a strong sprit of entrepreneurship. SAEF Chair Lew, former Chair Biggins and other SAEF members emphasized their satisfaction in performing this voluntary service and their dedication to Slovak-American friendship. FOS Executive Committee members Julie Slavik and Joe Senko joined in congratulating the SAEF leadership on their successful work in Slovakia. Information on the work of SAEF can be found on their website at www.SAEF.sk ... New U.S. Ambassador Visits PittsburghBefore leaving for Slovakia to assume his newly appointed position as U.S. Ambassador, Vincent Obsitnik visited the areas heavily populated with Slovak-Americans - Pittsburgh, Cleveland and New Jersey. The primary purpose of his visits was to meet with the national officers of the Slovak fraternal and cultural organizations headquartered in those areas as well as with representatives of local universities. ... Vondra Speaks on EU and US in 21st CenturyFriends of Slovakia and American Friends of the Czech Republic co-sponsored the eighth annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture on November 16. Alexandr Vondra, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic delivered a lecture at CSIS on the "EU and US in the 21st Century" examining the state of the transatlantic relationship. ... Pittsburgh Agreement Returns to Its BirthplaceOn Sunday, September 9, 2007, at a special ceremony, the Slovak League of America returned the original Pittsburgh Agreement to Pittsburgh for permanent display. The event took place at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. Twenty-one Slovak and Czech organizations were present when Dan Tanzone, president of the Slovak League, formally presented the official document to Andrew Masich, president of the Heinz History Center. Greetings were extended by Slovak Ambassador Rastislav Kacer and Czech Deputy Ambassador Jaroslav Kurfurst as well as City of Pittsburgh Council President Doug Shields and State Representative Don Walko. Over 200 people attended the ceremony sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania Slovak Cultural Association. ... Slovakia in 2007by Sharon FisherSlovakia's political scene was calm throughout most of 2007, as the three ruling parties that took office in mid-2006 consolidated their power and maintained remarkably high public support, thanks in part to a booming economy. Backing for the largest ruling party, Smer- Social Democracy (Smer-SD), remained at about 40% throughout the year, higher than the combined popularity of the three center-right parliamentary opposition parties, which include the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU), Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), and Party of the Hungarian Coalition (SMK). ... Send-off Dinner for Ambassador ObsitnikMembers of the Friends of Slovakia Board of Directors and Board of Advisors gathered at Amb. Kacer's residence November 12 for a buffet reception co-sponsored by FOS honoring the new US Ambassador to Slovakia, Vincent Obsitnik, and his wife Annemarie. Amb. Obsitnik had been sworn in by Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte on November 9 and was preparing to travel to Slovakia in early December. ... Amb. & Mrs. Kacer Host Dinner to Raise FOS Scholarship FundsSlovak Ambassador Rastislav Kacer and his wife Otilia hosted the annual Friends of Slovakia (FOS) Scholarship Fundraising Dinner at their residence on June 18. The event was a beautiful, intimate candle-lit affair attended by the two 2007 FOS Slovak Scholars, Jana Sebosikova and MartinKorcek, as well asmembers of the FOS Board of Directors and FOS supporters. ... Slovakia Gains Chance to Qualify for VisaWaiver Program; U.S. Exit Verification Still NeededCongress recently passed and President Bush has signed the "Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007". The new law offers the chance for countries like Slovakia, not currently covered by the Visa Waiver Program, to qualify for visa free travel of their citizens to the United States. Our readers will recall that the Friends of Slovakia Spring 2007 Newsletter discussed prospects for this legislation in its lead article describing a successful Forum for Congressional Staff on the issue sponsored by FOS, CSIS and American Friends of the Czech Republic. ... Profile: The Slovak Catholic SokolThis article is one of an occasional series that FOS will be publishing profiling important Slovak-American fraternal and other organizations. In this issue, we profile the Slovak Catholic Sokol organization. ... FOS Slovak Scholars Report on Georgetown Summer Institutes ExperienceBeing back in Slovakia, in my usual routine, it is hard to believe that only a few weeks ago, I sat at a breakfast table with a member of the House of Representatives, waited in line for a security check at the Senate, and discussed the economy of climate change in class. Yet I did all those things and many more. This summer, I was given the opportunity by The Fund for American Studies and Friends of Slovakia to experience Washington as a student, intern, and, of course, a tourist, all at the same time. I attended three courses at Georgetown University, which focused on different aspects of lobbying and government-business relations in general. In addition to that, each of the eight weeks was filled with guest lectures, site briefings, and workshops to provide us with a better understanding of how Washington works. ... Garden Gathering for FOS 2007 ScholarsOn July 6th, Julie and Juraj Slavik hosted an early evening gathering for the two FOS Slovak Scholars, Martin Korcek and Jana Sebosikova. From the Slovak Embassy, Ambassador and Mrs. Kacer, Andrej Droba (Deputy Chief of Mission), and Stella Kukuckova (First Secretary – Culture & Science) came to greet the Scholars. Joining the group were FOS Board members, Ambassador and Mrs. Ted Russell, Mr. and Mrs. William Tucker, Mr. and Mrs. John Miller and David Frankel. Also attending were FOS Newsletter Editor Ann Johnson, Steven Fabry and Kathy Milton, Helena Fabry, and Stephanie and Charles Partridge – all of whom have strong ties to Slovakia and FOS. The evening afforded Jana and Martin the opportunity to visit with the guests and to describe their experiences at Georgetown. ... FOS Travel ProgramFOS is planning a travel program from the U.S. to Slovakia which will start in late 2007 or early 2008. FOS is in the process of entering into a contract with a travel agency that handles these types of programs. Some of the FOS delegations will be for professionals such as medical doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, etc., and others will be designed for people that want to travel to Slovakia, meet with some government officials, U.S. Embassy personnel and visit some of the major cities in Slovakia. The U.S. Embassy in Slovakia is very interested in this program and has agreed to work closely with FOS in putting the program together. The delegates will pay their own expenses on the trip. Expenses will be set by FOS in cooperation with the travel agency we use in organizing the trip. ... Defense Minister Kasicky Pays Official Visit to WashingtonSlovak Defense Minister Frantisek Kasicky and members of his staff visited Norfolk, Virginia and Washington, DC September 4-6. September 4 Minister Kasicky visited the headquarters of the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) Gen. Lance Smith in Norfolk. A flag raising ceremony was held honoring Slovakia’s national day. On September 5 he held a productive meeting with Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England at the Pentagon. On September 6 Minister Kasicky, accompanied by Ambassador Kacer, was hosted at a small breakfast forum for government, think tank and business representatives interested in Slovak defense policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Friends of Slovakia Vice Chairman Bill Tucker and Founding Chairman Ambassador Ted Russell (ret.) participated in the discussion. ... FOS Honors Slovak LeagueOn Sunday, June 10, the Slovak League of America celebrated the 100th anniversary of their founding with a gala banquet at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Secaucus, New Jersey. ... Ingrid AielliIngrid Kimianova Aielli, a member of Friends of Slovakia Board of Directors, was born in Bratislava and left Slovakia in 1989 for Venice, Italy. Ingrid studied engineering in Bratislava and art in Venice. In February 1990, while in Venice, Ingrid met and married Fabrizio Aielli. ... Panel Updates Staffers on Pending Visa LegislationPaul Wyganowski, Janusz Bugajski and Paul Rosenzweig participate in the visa symposium Friends of Slovakia in conjunction with American Friends of the Czech Republic and CSIS sponsored a successful Forum for Congressional staff March 5 on "The Impact of the New Visa Waiver Legislation on Central Europe." The panel included Paul Rosenzweig, Acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, Mark Pekala, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Department of State and Michael Wyganowski, Executive Director, Center for European Policy Analysis. Janusz Bugajski, Director of the CSIS New European Democracies Project moderated the panel. The Forum was attended by a dozen Congressional staffers plus representatives from the Slovak (Amb. Kacer), Czech, Hungarian and Polish Embassies. AFoCR President Mike Rokos. FOS Vice Chairman Bill Tucker and FOS Founding Chairman Ted Russell also attended the Forum representing the sponsoring organizations. ... Enjoy Puppets at the Czech-Slovak MuseumThe classic Czechoslovak puppet, Kasparek The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is mounting an original exhibition, Puppetry! Suspended Imagination, which features a spectacular collection of Czechoslovak antique puppets. It will run through Sept. 29, 2007 at the museum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ... Peter Muzila Joins FOS BoardFriends of Slovakia is happy to welcome Peter Muzila to its Board of Directors. Peter is Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic for the six states of New England. He has already been serving FOS for several years as master of our website, a service that is greatly appreciated. ... Lunch Honors Lubomír Jahnátek, Slovak Minister of EconomyOn Wednesday, April 4 the Slovak Embassy, Friends of Slovakia (FOS) and the International Business Government Councilors co-sponsored a luncheon at the Slovak Embassy in honor of visiting Minister of Economy, Mr. Lubomír Jahnátek. Slovak Ambassador Rastislav Kacer opened the proceedings and officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative's office made some comments after Minister Jahnátek spoke. The U.S. officials praised the economic reforms that Slovakia has made and the resulting growth in the economy. In addition, they remarked upon the strong ties between the U.S. and Slovakia. ... FOS Film Series Continues in WashingtonIn an effort to help promote Slovak culture in the United States, Friends of Slovakia (FOS) has continued its film series in Washington, DC during 2007. The film events, which are held in cooperation with the Slovak Embassy, offer local residents an opportunity to view Slovak movies that are not otherwise available to the U.S. market. Attendance at the film series is free of charge, with an optional $5 donation to FOS. ... Slovaks and Carpatho-Rusyns Share Similarities Yet Have DifferencesSlovakia is a land of many peoples, and in Eastern Slovakia, one of the most numerous are the Carpatho- Rusyns. Having lived alongside one another for about 700 years, Rusyns and Slovaks share many cultural traits. But they are two peoples from two distinct cultures, who also differ from one another in dramatic ways. ... Slovak League of America Celebrates CentennialThis month marks the 100th anniversary of a special event in Slovak history— the founding of the Slovak League of America, a civic and cultural federation of Americans of Slovak ancestry. ... Mark your calendar!1968–1980: Prague Spring, Normalization, and Charter 77The 2008 Czech and Slovak History and Culture Conference takes a close look at the twelve volatile years in Czechoslovakia from 1968 to 1980. Socialism with a human face…Alexander Dubcek and the Prague Spring…Warsaw Pact invasion… Normalization... the anticommunist movement that culminated in Charter 77, these topics and more will be examined by top scholars and through first-hand accounts. ... Contact Congress on Visa Waivers for SlovaksDear Friend of Slovakia, Slovakia is a free, democratic society and a member of both NATO and the European Union. However, because Slovakia is not yet included in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), Slovak citizens are still subjected to a lengthy and costly visa procedure for travel to the U.S. and are too often barred entry. Meanwhile Americans travel visa-free to Slovakia. This asymmetrical visa barrier for Slovaks: Reduces U.S.-Slovak business opportunities, tourism, and family contact. Affects U.S.-Slovak bilateral relations and creates anti-Americanism. Negatively impacts the common fight against international terrorism. ... FOS Welcomes Applications for Summer 2007 Scholarship -- January Deadline!Friends of Slovakia (FOS) is currently accepting applications for a scholarship to participate in the summer 2007 programs at Georgetown University's Fund for American Studies. The application deadline for Slovak students is January 16, 2007. Please see the attached Word document (37KB) for further details. ... National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Features Andy Warhol Works Through March 11Now through March 11, 2007 the NCSML is exhibiting Works by Warhol from the Cochran Collection featuring two dozen original large prints created by Andy Warhol from 1974 to 1987, including a rare set of his silkscreen series "Cowboys and Indians." Other pieces in the exhibit include iconographic images of Mick Jagger, Mickey Mouse, and the Moon Walk of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. ... Strong ties bind Slovaks living around the worldFrom Slovak Spectator, Aug. 9, 2004By helping to expand Slovakia's economy through US investment, Slovak ex-patriates can provide more opportunity for Slovakia's young people to make a successful life for themselves and their families. Many Slovak-American organisations are very interested in helping the younger generations in America understand and appreciate their Slovak heritage and the contributions that Slovaks have made in the United States, said Jan Eric Surotchak, chair of the Friends of Slovakia (FOS). ... |