The Ambassador of the Slovak Republic Eva Ponomarenková and the Ambassador of the Czech Republic Juraj Chmiel held the introductory speeches. The Ambassador E. Ponomarenková claimed that despite the fact that the current situation in Europe is often not easy, it were the democratic changes in 1989, which allowed the free public debate and the freedom to choose own path to the future. The Ambassador J. Chmiel highlighted his belief that through the year 1989, the period of “only one right opinion” and the times when the other “unofficial” opinions had to be hidden or put between the lines are over. The Czechoslovakia after its tragic experience from 1968 gained in 1989 a renewed hope for a life in democracy and free society. Ambassador pointed out his own personal experience with limitations of freedom of thinking in the era before 1989 and expressed his hope that these times shall never return.

The Reception was attended by more than 100 guests, including notable representatives of the Slovenia public life, diplomatic corps, Academia and cultural and art circles. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Dobran Božič and the Archbishop of Ljubljana Stanislav Zore were also present. The guests have highly valued the great historical relevance of the Czech exhibition and also the reflection towards the events in 1989 presented by both embassies.