Slovakia’s American partners responded with great interest to celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution organised by Slovaks in the United States, said Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák to the TASR newswire on November 23.
Lajčák was speaking after returning from the US where he personally opened a number of events dedicated to November 17 between Tuesday and Sunday. “Representatives of the US might have had the impression that Washington has become one of the main places to celebrate the Velvet Revolution,” said Lajčák about his meetings with American Congressmen, investors and representatives of the Obama administration.
US President Barack Obama sent a personal message to Slovaks in which he praised their courage in the fight for freedom and human rights. Obama added that he regards Slovakia and the Czech Republic as valuable partners. American Members of Congress passed a resolution in which they emphasised the importance of the post-November changes in the former Czechoslovakia and confirmed that the US views Slovakia and the Czech Republic as reliable and vital partners.
The Slovak foreign affairs minister also took part in a series of lectures, exhibitions and social events dedicated to November 1989 that were attended by American politicians, business leaders and others. Several thousand dollars were collected by a fundraiser at a cultural event in New York. Some of the money will be sent to an orphanage in Nové Mesto nad Vahom in Trenčín region). TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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