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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
INTENDED USE: General Distribution – Week of November 5
CONTACT:
Patrick W. Ryan
Tennessee World Affairs Council
Tel: 1-931-230-5732 (dial all digits from all locations)
Email: PatRyan@TNwac.org
Web: http://www.TNwac.org
Visiting Speakers Spark Global Affairs Interest
Building bridges among people. That was Petr Kolar’s answer to the question, “What is your most important job as the Czech Republic’s Ambassador to the United States?” which came during a class on U.S. Foreign Policy at the University of Tennessee. The charge to connect with people was what brought him from his post in Washington, DC to classrooms and meeting places as part of the Tennessee World Affairs Council’s distinguished visiting speaker program last week.
Kolar crisscrossed Middle and Eastern Tennessee for two days to talk to students, business people, scholars, officials and members of the public about developments in the Czech Republic and its relationship with the United States. “America is our number one strategic partner,” he repeated to audiences in Nashville, Cookeville and Knoxville. He recounted the United States’ support of his country starting with President Woodrow Wilson’s role in the emergence of Czechoslovakia as a country following World War I up through U.S. support for its democratic transformation and integration in Western Europe and the NATO alliance following the breakdown of Soviet domination.
As evidence of the importance the Czech Republic attaches to its partnership with the United States, the ambassador talked about efforts to base an American early warning radar facility in his country as a component of a missile defense system. The project, coupled with interceptor missiles that would be based in Poland, is designed to offer protection against potential strategic missile attacks from rogue states in Southwest Asia. The plan has stirred up criticism from Russian President Vladimir Putin who says the plan is a provocation meant to threaten his country.
The spectre of Russian attention to the Czech Republic’s affairs brings back memories of the forty-plus years of Soviet domination of Czechoslovakia and a host of other countries subjugated in the Communist bloc after World War II. Ambassador Kolar cautions his audiences about taking the blessings of liberty for granted, “It’s so hard to win your freedom, and so easy to let it slip away.” He compares freedom to “a delicate flower that must be tended, watered, cared for – or else it will die.”
Ambasssador Kolar, accompanied by Embassy First Secretary Daniel Novy, started the two-day visit in Nashville on October 31, meeting with local officials to talk about international trade and student exchanges in the Czech Republic. Kolar also visited Vanderbilt University to lecture a political science class on international economics before a meeting with Governor Bredesen to talk about Czech-US relations. The next day in Knoxville he spoke about his country’s history, including the “amicable divorce” with Slovakia in 1993, the perspectives of Czech youth and the growth of American businesses in his country, to a luncheon group at the Senator Howard Baker Center for Public Policy and then the University of Tennessee political science students.
Cookeville was the last leg of his visit, with a reception at the office of the Tennessee World Affairs Council. Among the members of the public attending the reception was the Stephen and Karina Bynum family of Sparta. Karina, a native Czech, steered her six young children, all conversant in English and Czech, through conversations and photos with the ambassador, in a meeting that clearly delighted Kolar and the Bynum family.
Ambassador Kolar offered remarks to the guests, members of the Tennessee World Affairs Council and members of the public who have an interest in the Council’s work, on his role as the Czech Republic’s top diplomat in the United States and the importance of global awareness programs. Before departing for Washington Kolar was presented with an item of glass artwork in appreciation for devoting the time to visit. The gift highlighted another local Czech connection, as the artist, Professor Curt Brock of Tennessee Tech’s Appalachian Center for Craft, has studied there and collaborates with Czech artists.
Ambassador Kolar’s tour was the second in an ongoing series of visits organized by the newly established Tennessee World Affairs Council. The group, based in Cookeville, is a non profit educational organization that seeks to inform people about global affairs. “Our focus is educational outreach,” said Council President Patrick Ryan, “and the opportunity to host distinguished visitors like Petr Kolar is a tremendous opportunity to connect students with the world beyond their classrooms.”
The Council opened its doors in May and has already built partnerships with high schools and universities around the state. “Last month our inaugural visiting speaker, an author, veteran foreign correspondent and Middle East specialist, met over the course of three days with about 500 Tennesseans in high school classes, Rotary clubs, and small group discussions – helping them make sense of the complexities of the United States’ role in the Middle East,” said Council President Ryan. “We aim to bring resources to classrooms like global affairs academic competitions, discussions and speakers, but the opportunity for diplomats and foreign relations specialists to meet one-on-one in our communities is a bonus.”
In addition to future guest speaker tours – diplomats from China, Angola, Cyprus, and Kazakhstan as well as other foreign affairs specialists have committed to Tennessee visits – short term plans for the Council include membership and fundraising campaigns and the launch of its first year of participation in Academic WorldQuest. The program attracts high school student teams to participate in a challenging academic “bowl” competition that moves from local schools to statewide and national playoffs. The Tennessee World Affairs Council will sponsor the state champion team at the Washington, DC WorldQuest in April.
At the local level the Council will be facilitating creation of “Great Decision Discussion Groups.” The program which starts each January features a program guide that allows for people to review, discuss and debate challenging global issues and to socialize in small group settings.
Anyone interested in the Tennessee World Affairs Council programs and in supporting its work can visit the office, call or check the Web site. The Council is located at 31 West First Street in Cookeville. For more information visit
www.TNWAC.org
or call 1.931.230.5732
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Photo files (captions below) provided separately and on-line at:
#1 http://www.tennessee-world-affairs-council.org/images/2007/kolar-visit/kolar-1.jpg
#2 http://www.tennessee-world-affairs-council.org/images/2007/kolar-visit/kolar-2.jpg
#3 http://www.tennessee-world-affairs-council.org/images/2007/kolar-visit/kolar-3.jpg
#4 http://www.tennessee-world-affairs-council.org/images/2007/kolar-visit/kolar-4.jpg
#5 http://www.tennessee-world-affairs-council.org/images/2007/kolar-visit/kolar-5.jpg
#6 http://www.tennessee-world-affairs-council.org/images/2007/kolar-visit/kolar-6.jpg
PHOTO #1
Ambassador Petr Kolar, the top Czech Republic diplomat in the United States, talks about US-Czech relations with University of Tennessee political science students. Kolar visited Nashville, Cookeville and Knoxville as part of the Tennessee World Affairs Council’s distinguished visiting speaker program. (Photo: Patrick Ryan)
PHOTO #2
Ambassador Petr Kolar of the Czech Republic met with the Bynum family of Sparta during his visit to Middle and Eastern Tennessee. Karina Bynum is a native of the Czech Republic and raised their children to be conversant in both Czech and English. Pictured are (back row, L-R) Karina, Kathryn, Ambassador Kolar, Johanna, Stephen; (middle row) Andrew, Filip; (front) Walter and Margaret. (Photo: Colleen Ryan)
PHOTO #3
Ambassador Petr Kolar chats with guests at a Tennessee World Affairs Council reception in his honor during his recent visit to Cookeville. (L-R) Ambassador Kolar, Laura Fleming, Dr. Charles Womack, and Connie Trisdale. (Photo: Colleen Ryan)
PHOTO #4
Tennessee World Affairs Council President Patrick Ryan (L) presents a catalog of Tennessee art works to Ambassador Petr Kolar of the Czech Republic as JD Parks, a Council board member prepares to present a glass art object created by local artist Curt Brock, in appreciation for the Ambassador’s visit. (Photo: Colleen Ryan)
PHOTO #5
Tennessee World Affairs Council board members hosted Ambassador Petr Kolar at a reception at the Council’s office in Cookeville. The Czech diplomat toured Middle and Eastern Tennessee to talk about his country, its history, current developments, and the relationship with the United States. (L-R) Patrick Ryan, Council President, Ambassador Kolar, JD Parks, Treasurer, and Dr. Charles Womack, Vice President. (Photo: Colleen Ryan)
Photo #6
Ambassador Petr Kolar of the Czech Republic discussed global affairs with Vanderbilt University international economics students during his visit hosted by the Tennessee World Affairs Council. Ambassador Kolar talked with students, scholars, business people, government officials and community members during his visits to Nashville, Cookeville, and Knoxville. (Photo: Patrick Ryan)
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