On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Czech and Slovak Cultural Center of Minnesota (CSCC), I would like to wish everyone a Peaceful and Happy New Year 2025.
As we close 2024, I would like to reflect on several positives in the past year. The Czech government has passed a bill to enable Czechs living abroad to vote by mail, which is a great step toward assuring every Czech citizen has a voice wherever they may currently live and work. The Czech Embassies and Consulates will be assisting Czech voters living abroad with voter registration and the mailing process in the 2025 Parliamentary Elections and beyond. There have also been several approved applications for Czech citizenship for heritage Czechs whose ancestors came from Czechoslovakia after 1918. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of many people wanting to become citizens of their “old country”.
As the war in Ukraine is continuing, many Ukrainian refugees found their home in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, among other countries. Adults have been able to find housing and work and children have been afforded free public education. However painful this forced migration is, the move is likely to benefit many Ukrainian families and the Slovak and Czech societies. I hope, however, that when I write this message next year, I will be writing about peace, not war.
I had an opportunity to lead a delegation of special educators to Cuba this year, which gave me an impetus to read Tomáš Klvaňa’s book titled Cuba: A Brief History of the End. My visit as well as the memoir made me reflect on Czechoslovakia when I was growing up without access to much that was going to outside of the country’s borders. Cuba is a beautiful and welcoming country that is being punished from both the inside and out. I am happy Tomaš’ book is helping to grow awareness of the situation in Cuba.
In March 2024, CSCC hosted a lecture by Paul Greeman on the history of privatization in Slovakia. This lecture was well received and gave its audience a better idea of how changing economics influenced Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The foundation of CSCC is based on the values and principles of the Czech President, Václav Havel. He once said: “I feel that the dormant goodwill in people needs to be stirred. People need to hear that it makes sense to behave decently or to help others, to place common interests above their own, to respect the elementary rules of human coexistence.” I wish that his words come true in 2025.
In 2024, we have made strides in promoting the values of the CSCC’s founders, Dr. Josef Mestenhauser and Milan Sebek. We have hosted a presentation and discussion about The Book of Prague and commemorated Franz Kafka’s death 100 years ago. We also co-sponsored a number of cultural events with the Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota.
We are looking forward to new programming in 2025, including hosting a puppeteer, Dr. Marie Černíková, from the University of West Bohemia, and a renowned linguist of Czech origin, Dr. Julie Sedivy from Calgary. We also look forward to a continuing collaboration with the Czech General Consulate in Chicago that provides us with many resources for programming.
I want to thank CSCC board members and especially the Czech Honorary Consul, Marit Kucera, for their continuous work on behalf of the Czech and Slovak communities. I would also like to thank CSCC members and friends for their engagement and interest in CSCC’s mission and activities.
Please, stay informed about CSCC’s upcoming events.
We wish you a peaceful and inspiring 2025!
From the CSCC Board of Directors, with warm regards,
Dr. Renáta Tichá, President
Dr. Cheryl Nelson Theuninck
Jan Knudtson
Beatrice Flaming
Dr. Gwen Willems
Dr. Joyce Tesarek
Andrew Kozak
Patricia Mestenhauser Bergh
Marit Lee Kucera, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic for Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, & South Dakota
Czech and Slovak Cultural Center of Minnesota (CSCC)
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