Day of Foundation of Czechoslovakia Marked by Classic Music Concert
On October 23, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Tbilisi, Georgia, held a concert of classical music to mark the occasion of the National Day of the Czech Republic, at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul. This year is the 99th anniversary of the Foundation of Czechoslovakia.
“In 2014, we introduced the tradition to gather in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul on the National Day of the Czech Republic, marked by a concert of classical music. This year, we made a small exception. We invited Georgian timpanist Teimuraz Giguashvili to join the Czech musicians. 99 years ago, Czech and Slovak nations, under the leadership of Professor Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the first President, and the Slovak national hero, Milan Rastislav Štefánik, and with the support of the then US President Woodrow Wilson, independence of the newly established Czechoslovakia was announced. This immediately became a part of the family of democratic European nations. As we, Czechs, [recollect] these two decades of our independence as a period of building democratic institutions, a period of economic growth, as well as cultural and national flourishing, we celebrate the day that Czechoslovakia was formed as the main national holiday of the Czech Republic.” Tomas Pernitsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Georgia inaugurated the event.
The Children’s choir of Evgeny Mikeladze School of Music performed the national anthems of both Czech Republic and Georgia. The world premiere of Ian Mikyska’s ‘Reticenda’ twas also performed, which was written especially for the occasion.
“The founding of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918 was the result of a lasting brotherhood between the Czechs and the Slovaks that had been present between our two nations for centuries. The newly established republic was built on the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that seized to exist after the horrors of World War I. Czechoslovakia soon became one of the most democratic countries in the world, and Slovaks found themselves in a state which they felt more equal, respected and to a society of which they could contribute. It is due to this democratic tradition of the 20s and 30s that today´s Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic are two successful countries in the heart of Europe, treasuring the principles of democracy that reach as far back as 1918 – the year of establishment of Czechoslovakia,” H.E. Mr. Rudolf Michalka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic in Georgia told GEORGIA TODAY.
“In these nearly one hundred years of independence, the Czech Republic has taken a path full of challenges and grown up into a strong and prosperous democratic state. This experience of democratic development and European Integration is of considerable significance for my country, which also declared itself an independent democratic Republic in 1918, but its taste of freedom turned out to be quite short. After some 75 years, back in 1993, diplomatic relations between Georgia and the Czech Republic were established. Since then. relations have evolved into traditional friendly partnership and cooperation has been enhanced in various spheres. The unyielding support of the Czech Republic for Georgia’s territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders, as well as for our country’s integration into the EU and NATO is highly valued from our side,” Mr. Victor Dolidze, State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration noted, adding: “Let me also touch upon the exceptional cooperation with the Visegrad Group, and underline the value of the support of the Czech Republic and the entire V4 countries on Georgia’s European Integration path. It is the Visegrad experience that inspires and motivates us, those of us representing the countries of ‘New’ Eastern Europe.”
The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, and by members of Georgian parliament.
Maka Lomadze