SVU

CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIETY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Message from the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic

Martin Butora

To the Participants and Guests of the Nebraska SVU Conference

August 1-3, 2001, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

In Washington, August 1, 2001

Dear President Rechcigl, Honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends,

It is my privilege and pleasure to greet you all at this distinguished forum and wish you success in your challenging endeavor.

I still have in my memory the last year’s SVU World Congress held in Washington when more than two hundred of participants came to our residence to discuss the issues of civil society and democracy in the new millennium and to enjoy excellent ties between the Czech and Slovak communities.

And we were happy to welcome the Czech Ambassador Alexandr Vondra, the SVU President Mila Rechcigl, and many of our Czech friends at the opening of new Slovak embassy building here in Washington this June. That was another occasion to remember common heritage of our forefathers who made their way to America in search of a better life, and have contributed with their labor and sacrifice to the building of this country. As we celebrated the opening of the new Slovak chancery, we also paid our tribute to all Americans whose work forged the freedom we enjoy today from President Woodrow Wilson to the American soldiers fighting in the Slovak anti-Nazi resistance in 1944 and liberating Plzen in 1945, from the Americans who helped to conquer communism to those who are now helping to transform our friendship to strategic partnership. We in Central Europe have good reasons to see how important the role of the United States is. We remember a Europe disunited, subjugated to dictators, torn by wars, traumatized by Nazism and Communism. That was not a good Europe and one of the reasons it happened was a lack of American presence. For us, the strengthening of trans-Atlantic links is not just an empty phrase: it is our vital interest.

Having arrived from Bratislava just a few hours ago, I will be anxiously awaiting the abstracts of your debate the topic of which I find very stimulating. You will talk about the Czech and Slovak legacy in America, about the ways to preserve and develop this heritage for and among the young people. I believe that the present state of affairs opens an excellent opportunity for not only SVU members but all Americans of European heritage to make sure that these links remain vital.

Please accept my warm regards to the participants of the conference.

Martin Butora
Slovak Ambassador to the United States

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Nebraska SVU Conference