Book Presented at Slovak Consulate-General and Slovak Embassy

November 4, 2013

The book presentation at the Slovak consulate-general in New York is introduced by František Ružička, the Slovak ambassador to the United Nations. Amb. Ružička spoke eloquently about the contributions of my grandfather, Milan Hodža, to the vision of European integration.

 

I speak on the theme of building the Slovak nation during the Slovak National Awakening in the 19th century and within Czechoslovakia during the 20th.

Luba Mason, a noted Broadway singer of Slovak origin, sings Materinská moja reč, aká si mi milá (Mother language mine, how dear you are to me), a musical setting of a poem written by Peter Bella-Horal, my great-grandmother’s brother, during the 19th century Slovak National Awakening.

The Slovak consul-general, Jana Trnovcová, closes the proceedings.

The flags of the Slovak Republic and of the European Union fly in front of the Embassy of Slovakia in Washington, D.C.

I speak to the audience at the embassy on much the same theme as at the consulate-general.

After the program, Yvonne and I sell books. Business was very brisk!