Ambassador of the Czech Republic Hynek Kmoníček welcomed everyone with words filled with joy, remembrance, and a bit of humor. Observing the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, Ambassador Kmoníček delighted the guests with his wit about the importance of the freedom of speech, before, during and after one’s speech.

Next, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Kubera offered his remarks on the significance of the Czech national holiday and the Czech nation’s ties to the United States of America. Senator Kubera emphasized that, “The United States played a key role in many important historical moments of our country... Our nations follow the same principles and identical democratic values.”

Vowing to continue to defend and promote the transatlantic alliance, Senator Kubera and Ambassador Kmoníček raised a glass to “toast to our strong alliance, the celebration of the legacy of the Velvet Revolution and the atmosphere full of enthusiasm from newly regained freedom and democracy that we all experienced back in November 1989.”

To complement the program, Marek Švejkar and Lenka Korbelová, a phenomenal classical duo from the Czech Republic, performed both the Czech and American national anthems on the piano. The Czech Embassy’s chef prepared savory Czech cuisine for everyone's enjoyment.

Czech National Day is officially observed on October 28 in the Czech Republic.