Celebrations of the Velvet Revolution in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Branislav Lichardus, Rector of Vysoká škola manažmentu-City University of Seattle Programs participated in Washington D.C. on Nov. 18th 2009 in the joint Slovak Embassy/ The Heritage Foundation seminar on the Velvet Revolution and Twenty Years of the Slovak-U.S. Partnership as experienced by Ambassadors, serving in Slovakia and in the USA. He outlined the biginningas of the Slovak diplomacy in the USA. The keynote speaker was the Foreign Minister of Slovakia H.E. Miroslav Lajčák. Dr.Lichardus was also a member of the Honorary Host Committee of a Gala Dinner Commemorating the Anniversary at the Washington Golf&Country Club.

Dr.Lichardus was further a guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Slovak-American Society of Washington, D.C. on Nov. 21st SASW ). He provided information about the School of Management and updated on current development of the school. SASW has supported our school with scholarships each year for more than the past 10 years.

SIOVAKIA'S GOAL

After Branislav Lichardus arrived in Washington in 1994 as Slovakia's first ambassador to the United States, he learned how hard a job he would have promoting his new country when he attended a hockey match.Commenting on a play, the game's announcer noted that a Czechoslovakian, Peter Bondra had just scored a goal, the ambassador recalled at a forum on the Velvet Revolution at the Heritage Foundation on Wednesday. The old country had already split into the Czech and Slovak republics a year earlier.After a few moments, the announcer corrected himself, adding that two new nations were created in Europe: the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
However, by the end of his term as ambassador in 1998, Washington knew about Slovakia.
"Our small embassy staff opened doors to the White House, to Congress to the think tanks," said Dr. Lichardus, a physician, not a diplomat, by profession.
One of those staffers, Peter Burian, is now ambassador.
• Call Embassy Row at 2021636-3297, fax 2021832-7278 or e-mail .

Autor fotografii: Pavol Demeš.

photo1:Amb.Ralph R.Johnson (1996-1999), Amb.Branislav Lichardus (1994-1998),Amb.Rodolphe M. Vallee (2005-2007), The Minister of Foreign Affairs Miroslav Lajčák (from 2009), Amb.Peter Burian (from 2008), Amb.Vincent Obšitník (2007-2009), Amb.Theodore E.Russell (1993-1996) 

photo2: ambassador Russell, Lichardus, Johnson a Obšitnik during seminar

photo3: Amb. Branislav Lichardus