This joint event has once again shown that the Czech and Slovak Republics have been stable and reliable partners, able to cooperate and celebrate together important benchmarks in their histories despite their dissolution in 1993.
 

Many people appreciated this, even in the context of the highly exacerbated relations between India and Pakistan, who many years after their partition are unable to find a common ground.
 

The Chief Guest of the evening was Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Honourable Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, who was greeted traditionally with bread and salt, served by young people in traditional costumes. Both countries greatly appreciated that the Government of India sent such an important representative to their Reception.
 

Czech Ambassador Milan Hovorka with his wife Jarmila and Slovak Ambassador Ivan Lancaric with his wife Sonia also met Honourable Minister separately in the residence of the Slovak Ambassador.
 

After the beautifully interpreted national anthems of India, Slovakia and Czechia, both Ambassadors had introductory remarks explaining reasons for the joint celebrations. Czech Ambassador explained the importance of the Czech Statehood Day celebrated in the Czech Republic every year on September 28. He also shed light on the importance of St. Wenceslas for the Czech people. He also reminded the importance of the establishment of Czechoslovakia, centenary of which was marked by Czechs and Slovaks together with their Indian and foreign friends in New Delhi in October 2018.
 

Slovak Ambassador Ivan Lancaric explained that Slovakia is currently observing the 75th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising which was very important for the defeating the Nazi Regime during the World War II.
 

The introductory speeches were followed by a cultural program which was opened by ballet of the Frantisek Xaver Salda Theatre from the Czech city of Liberec. Mrs. Jarmila Levko Pešlová, the theater chief executive director, was also present.
 

The program for the Reception was prepared by the ballet chief Mrs. Marika Mikanová, nee Marika Hanousková, who moved to the Liberec theatre from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.
 

The ensemble presented both classical and modern dance.
 

Czech actress and dancer Ms. Eliška Jansová, who recently moved from Prague and who is now based in the Frantisek Xaver Salda Theater in Liberec, moderated the evening in the historical folk costume from Czech Crystal Valley region situated near the city of Liberec and the hill of Ještěd.
 

 

 

The traditional Slovak folk songs and dances were played, sung and danced by thirty-member folklore ensemble Zemplin  from the town of Michalovce in Eastern Slovakia.
 

Both ensembles, Czech as well as Slovak, then performed a jointly rehearsed dance on the song "Gallan Goodiyaan" from the famous Bollywood movie "Dil Dhadakne Do" (Let the Heart Beat), which was once again repeated at the end of the Reception for great response.
 

The Reception was visited by a number of prominent representatives of political, economic and cultural life of India, and of course by the foreign Ambassadors and other invited members of the Diplomatic Corps.

The guests were personally welcomed by the Czech Ambassador His Excellency Milan Hovorka with his wife Jarmila, together with the Slovak Ambassador His Excellency Ivan Lančarič with his wife Soňa.

When the Chief Guest arrived, they were replaced by the Deputy of the Czech Ambassador Mr Roman Masarik with his wife Kateřina and by the Deputy of the Slovak Ambassador Ms. Katarína Tomková.

Czech Defence Attaché, head of the Office of Defense Attachment at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi, Army General Jaromir Sebesta with his wife Zuzana, were also part of the welcoming ceremony.
 

In addition to the Chief Guest the Ambassadors of both countries invited to the VIP lounge also the granddaughter of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, whose 150th birth anniversary was celebrated on 2 October 2019 around the world.

Mrs. Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, is a well-known supporter of her grandfather's legacy.

For her worldwide contribution to peacekeeping, solidarity, culture, education and development, France has awarded her with the Order of Arts and Literature.

The Ambassadors of both countries appreciated that, at a time when all in India are commemorating such a round anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth, she set aside time to visit the Czech and Slovak Reception.
 

Honorary Consuls of the Czech and Slovak Republics serving in the territory of jurisdiction of both the Embassies were also present.

The Czech Honorary Consuls had the annual meeting at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi next day morning. 
 

Czech and Slovak Reception was also attended by the head of CzechTrade offices in Bengaluru and Mumbai Mr Ivan Kameník and by representatives of VFS Global, who represent CzechTourism in India.

Representatives of the Czech and  Slovak companies operating in India and the Czech and Slovak expats and compatriots were also invited.
 

The main sponsors of the Reception presented their products at the entrance.

Škoda Auto company provided a stand with SKODA SUPERB and SKODA KODIAQ cars, the management of the company was represented by Czech top managers Luboš Hradecký, Mojmír Hájek and Pavel Richter operating in the city of Pune.

The main purpose of presentation was to recall the success of the Czech car production in the Indian cities of Aurangabad and Pune in the spirit of the programme of the Government of India "Make-in-India".
 

In the same space TATA Motors company, respectively. its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover, has built a stand with the Land Rover Discovery SUV car. A brand new factory for production of Jaguar cars was built in Slovakia, the production started there in October 2018. More than 20 Czech companies are among the subcontractors of the plant.
 

One of the most attractive was an exposition of the Indian company Classic Legends Pvt Ltd., which is part of the Mahindra Group, which produces Czech motorcycles JAWA in India. The company presented JAWA 300 and JAWA 42 motorcycles here. The cooperation with Mahindra started several years ago. Now the company produces JAWA motorcycles in India under license sold by the Czech company Jawa Moto s.r.o., respectively by Jihostroj a.s. company, which is a 100% partner in Jawa Moto. In India, the production of JAWA motorcycles has a tremendous tradition since the 1960s. Since then, the Indian company Ideal Jawa has produced around 300,000 motorcycles in India, and thus the JAWA brand has a long standing reputation in India.
 

Mr. Ashish Joshi, CEO of Classic Legends Pvt Ltd. confirmed that motorcycles should receive European homologation this year and that their export from India to Europe may start in 2020, first to Czechia and Slovakia.
 

The Reception would not be possible to be organized without support and generous contributions from the Embassies's partners and sponsors. In addition to ŠKODA, TATA and JAWA, they also include Home Credit, TATRA, Zetor, Skoda Doosan Power, PRECIOSA, FANS, GHH-BONATRANS, VFS Global, Confident Group, Mokida Green Energy and Jurisconsultus.

A billboard with their logos was placed next to the main stage, with joint thanks from both Czech and Slovak diplomatic missions. List of sponsors was also sent with invitations.
 

As usual, not only Indian food was offered at the Reception, but also delicacies of the Czech and Slovak cuisine.
 

Czech and Slovak wines were served.
 

 

There was also the Czech beer Gambrinus and  the Bohemian King beer produced in India under the Czech licence.
 

Guests were walking to the Reception area on the red carpet.

The building of the Residence of the Ambassador and the adjacent representative premises were provided with ceremonial lighting.
 

The reception area was equipped with wallpapers showing capitals of both countries, Prague and Bratislava, and with national flags of Czechia, Slovakia, India and the EU.
 

Promotional brochures about Slovakia, Czechia, Prague and also about the Liberec Theatre were freely available.
 

A building of the Czech Embassy was illuminated by the Czech tricolor.
 

Building of the Slovak Embassy was illuminated by the Slovak tricolor.
 

Employees of the Czech and Slovak Embassies and also a number of external companies were preparing the Reception. 
 

Sending more than two thousand invitations, food catering, preparing food stalls and bars, building a stage and a lounge for VIP guests, green room for artists, sound distribution, installation of a large TV screen, lighting the entire outdoor area where the Reception took place, security controls at the entrance and other logistics, were simply demanding.
 

Mr. Roman Masarik, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of the Czech Republic and Deputy Head of Mission, expressed thanks to all people present, partners and sponsors at the end of Reception.