NEWS

It is with great pleasure that Friends of Slovakia announces the election of David Blazek to the FOS Board of Directors. Dave has extensive experience from his excellent work with the National Slovak Society and his volunteer efforts with other Slovak organizations and boards. Dave was born in 1950, the first son of Dusan and […]

Friends of Slovakia is thrilled to announce that Dr. Eva Jenkins has been elected to the FOS Board of Directors. Her unwavering dedication to fostering US-Slovak friendship makes her an outstanding addition to our esteemed leadership ranks. Dr. Eva Strelka Jenkins was born in Bratislava and left with her family shortly after the Soviet-led Warsaw […]

On January 28, 2016, Friends of Slovakia co-sponsored the opening of an exhibition of unique photos commemorating the Holocaust entitled “Last Folio”. The opening event was held at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. in cooperation with the Embassy of Slovakia and the Embassy of Canada. The exhibit is open to the public until […]

Msgr. Tomáš Halík delivered the 2015 Annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. In his lecture titled “Long Period of Healing,” Msgr. Halík emphasized the vital role of religion in the transition from Communism to Democracy.

Sabina Sabados Sabina Sabados comes from eastern Slovakia and immigrated to the United States in the late 1980s. She received her BA in Political Science from Drew University in May 2003 with minors in French and European Studies. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in the Drew International Seminar which was hosted in Paris and […]

On June 15, 2014, businessman and philanthropist Andrej Kiska was inaugurated as the fourth president of independent Slovakia. Unlike his three predecessors, Kiska never joined the Communist Party and has not been a member of any political party. Kiska is the first Slovak president who was elected as an independent candidate, without party support. Although […]

Michael Žantovský, a distinguished Czech politician, writer, and diplomat, delivered the 2013 Czech and Slovak Annual Freedom Lecture titled “The Uncertainty of Freedom, and the Freedom of Uncertainty” at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. on November 12.

Martin Bútora, who served as the Slovak ambassador to the United States from 1999 to 2003 and was one of the key figures behind the Freedom Lecture Series, delivered the 2012 Annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture on November 16. A capacity crowd filled the Woodrow Wilson Center auditorium to hear his reflections on “20 Years of Independence: Reflections on Freedom and Democracy.” Following the lecture, Joe Senko, the Chairman of Friends of Slovakia, and Ted Russell, the Founding Chairman Ambassador presented Ambassador Bútora with the FOS Medal of Honor. Tom Dine, the President of American Friends of the Czech Republic, then presented the speaker with a Certificate of Appreciation.

Slovakia has made significant progress in transitioning from being part of a socialist, pro-Soviet republic to an independent, democratic nation. However, there is still much hard work ahead, as highlighted in the 2010 Annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture by Prime Minister Iveta Radičová.