Podpora ★ Lidskost ★ Bratrstvi´

What the Czech Republic was able to accomplish during its term as President of the European Union in 2022

The Czech Republic held the presidency of the Council of the European Union from July through December 2022. Each EU Member State holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months on a rotational basis. The task of the presidency is to determine the agenda and priorities of the Council of the EU, to preside over its meetings, to broker compromises among the states as well as to represent the Union at meetings with the other EU institutions and external partners. To ensure continuity, the member states form presidency trios that prepare a joint program. This is a summary of what the Czech Republic was able to accomplish. The text comes from Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala:

“It has been a busy six months for the Czech Republic at the helm of the European Union. Six challenging months marked by the Russian war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and inflation. Therefore, our motto “Europe as a Task” was fitting for the weight of responsibilities and obligations on the shoulders of the Czech Republic. I am all the more pleased to be able to declare, even with all modesty, that we have performed our European task perfectly.

We have taken a number of difficult decisions and worked steadily on our European policy, which is a constant part of our lives here at home in the Czech Republic. The Presidency of the Council has helped us to promote the interests of the Czech Republic.

Our aim was to seek compromises, solutions acceptable to all parties. We have always strived to promote the interests of the Czech Republic and our citizens.

During our second term at the helm of the Council of the European Union, we have fulfilled the five main priorities set out in the summer. Let me now recall the most significant achievements with a major international and domestic impact.

We had to act quickly to ensure energy security in order to protect our citizens and their interests. We are all well aware that these are difficult times, and that only by working together will we improve this bleak situation.

The Czech Presidency has been firmly determined to tackle energy prices and to ensure the strategic autonomy of the Union. This is evidenced by a record eight meetings of energy ministers and a plethora of negotiated legislative measures.

We have significantly reduced the Union’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels, capped energy prices, established joint gas buying, ensured sufficient gas for the entire heating season and much more.

In terms of the refugee crisis and postwar reconstruction in Ukraine, we have not only confronted the aggressors, but also provided comprehensive support and assistance to Ukraine and, above all, we have been actively managing the impacts of migration across the European Union.

Important measures included the approval of three sanctions packages against Russia and Belarus, restrictions on visas to Russian citizens and the continued financial, military and legal aid for Ukraine.

Support for Ukraine and the unity of the European Union are, of course, crucial for the functioning of the Czech Republic. The unity of Member States and a strong response to Russia’s actions guarantees the security of our citizens and protects our interests. Ukraine is fighting a war so that we do not have to, and our humanitarian and financial aid is helping prevent thousands more Ukrainians from fleeing the war to other countries, including the Czech Republic.

We have found compromises and negotiated and passed legislation in other areas as well – we have worked intensively on securing our cyberspace and strengthening the economy and democratic institutions.

We have also kept in touch with our neighbors. We have started accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. Bosnia and Herzegovina has been granted candidate status and a few days ago Kosovo officially applied for EU membership.

Last but not least, we have successfully brought Croatia into the euro area and Schengen Area, making the already popular holiday destination even more accessible and attractive for Czechs.

Besides our success in the area of European policies, we have also managed to excellently organize three hundred events in the Czech Republic. These included 14 informal ministerial meetings, a visit of the College of Commissioners in Litomyšl and a with the leadership of the European Parliament. There were also dozens of conferences, cultural and accompanying events, held not only abroad and in Brussels, but also across the Czech Republic.

The Prague European Summit that was held in October is undoubtedly an organizational success of which we can all be justly proud. The Prague Castle hosted 43 leaders from across the European continent at the first ever meeting of the European Political Community. For the first time, countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan sat down to talk at the same table.

The Czech Republic has established valuable relationships during its sixmonth presidency, built a strong position in the EU and, above all, improved its reputation as a dependable partner and major political player.

Let me conclude by thanking once again all the members of the Government, diplomats and officials for their work in making the second Czech Presidency such a success. As much as two thousand people have contributed to this outcome and they all deserve to be commended for their professionalism and unwavering commitment throughout the Presidency.

I am convinced that we will capitalize on all these successes and experiences for the benefit of our country.”

Submitted by,

Brian Vanicek SPJST President/CEO —SPJST—

Czech Heritage Society of Texas offers memorial scholarships

The Czech Heritage Society of Texas will award two scholarships - the Victor Peter Memorial Scholarship to a 2023 graduating Texas high school senior and the Albert Blaha Memorial Scholarship to a 2023 graduating Texas high school senior or first-year college student. Proof of registration in a program of studies in a college, university, or vocational school is required of the selected applicant prior to receipt of financial award.

The applicant must submit a packet of information outlined on the CHS website (czechheritage-texas.org) that includes an essay about a family member who represents or contributed to Czech heritage.

Applicant packets must be submitted no later than February 28, 2023, for the Victor Peter Scholarship and April 3, 2023, for the Albert Blaha Scholarship.^

Richard Skopik —SPJST—

Brazos Valley CHS sets March 4 kolache baking class

Brazos Valley Czech Heritage Society (BVCHS) is offering a kolache baking class on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at St. Joseph Catholic Church Parish Activity Center, 600 East 26th Street in Bryan, Texas, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants will learn how to make genuine Czech kolache, including some of the fillings, from scratch. Cost for the class is $35 per person with a limit of 12 participants (ages 12 and older). For more information, contact Stan Vitha at 979-587-1777 or send an email to bohemian2012@aol.com.^

Jeannine Koll BVCHS Reporter —SPJST—

Czech Center Museum Houston to host March 10 Free Friday Night Movie

Czech Center Museum Houston will host Free Friday Movie Night on Friday, March 10, 2023. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the event begins at 6 p.m.

Zatopek— Autumn 1968, the Australian running record holder Ron Clarke is coming to Prague, hoping that his old friend and role model, Emil Zátopek, the most famous Czech athlete of all time, will help him overcome the biggest crisis of his career. The dialogue is in Czech with English subtitles.

Release Date: August 26, 2021

Running time: 131 minutes

Cast: Vaclav Neuzil, Matha Issova, James Frecheville

Director: David Ondricek

Screenplay: David Ondricek, Alice Nellis, Jan P. Muchow

Donations are appreciated. Complimentary popcorn will be served. Beverages are available for purchase.

Czech Center Museum Houston is located at 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston. For more information, visit czechcenter.org.

—SPJST—

Czech Center Museum Houston sets March 11 yoga for kids, families

The Vibe Czech: Yoga for kids and families is Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Czech Center Museum Houston, 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston, from 11 to 11:40 a.m.

Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Join us for Saturday morning guided yoga practice in Brno Gallery. Please RSVP to development@czechcenter.org. Visit czechcenter.org for more information.

—SPJST—

TCGS to pay tribute to Czech Veterans who gave their life for our freedom; deadline is April 1

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The quote from John 15:13 is heard quite often as Memorial Day draws close.

Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS) has had the privilege of paying tribute to our Czech Veterans by publishing three volumes entitled Czechs in Uniform. The awesome Czech Veterans’ who served, or are currently serving our country, truly fit a submission by TCGS

Lifetime Member Cecilia Forrest entitled, Definition Of A Veteran:

A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a check made payable to the United States of America, for the amount “up to and including my life.” This is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

~ Author Unknown

Memorial Day is May 29. For the past two years, TCGS has paid tribute to those who paid the Ultimate Sacrifice with a special membership emailing. This email featured those who gave their lives for our freedom while serving our country. Those featured, with name and photo, if a photo was available, are those contained within the pages of our Czechs in Uniform, Volumes I, II and III; or are on our Czech Military Museum and Veterans’ Wall of Honor Ultimate Sacrifice Alcove located in the downstairs gallery of the SPJST Home Office in Temple, Texas. As far as we

Czech Cultural Calendar

Hours of Operation

Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center (CHMGC), 119 West French Avenue, Temple. Hours: Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for those 60 or older, and $2 for kids, 12 and under. Every First and Third Tuesday Evenings: Tarok Parties—All ages and anyone interested are welcome. No admission or fee. Award-winning tournament champions Jimmie and Carolyn Coufal not only teach beginners, but also help experienced players increase their skill. For Museum information: tours, happenings, and activities, call: CHMGC 254-899-2935 (can leave a message); email czechheritagemuseum@gmail.com; find them on Facebook; or visit the Center’s website https://czechheritagemuseum.org

Monday through Saturday

Czech Center Museum Houston, 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exhibits. Experience the culture, art, music, and stories of many Czechs, Slovaks, and people of all cultures who left their country to seek liberty and democracy in America. Beginner Czech Lessons: Monday evenings, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Conversational Czech hour - Saturdays, 1 to 2 p.m. Bring a friend or neighbor and come practice your Czech! Not a member? Join today for early access to concerts, movie nights, lectures, and events at CCMH as well as free Czech language lessons and monthly membership socials. Monthly Movie Nights: CCMH has reinstated monthly movie nights. The next film will be shown Friday, January 27 at 6 p.m. Check the online calendar for more information. CCMH is located at 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston.For information, call 713-528-2060; or visit czechcenter.org

Deadline March 31

Travels to Czechia Photo Competition— photos should depict the beauty of Czechia, whether through its nature, architecture, culture, culinary delights, and/or modern marvels. Photos may feature world-famous sights, historical wonders of Prague, and other major cities or paths less traveled throughout the Czech countryside and villages. Photos may incorporate people and their joy, amazement, nostalgia, or other emotions felt during their travels. The Czech Embassy will collect the photographs in honor of Czech automobile racer Eliška Junková and her love of travel. Selected photos will be exhibited at the Czech Embassy on May 13, 2023. For guidelines and information, contact visit https://www.mzv.cz/washington —SPJST— have been able to determine, TCGS has the largest military museum, dedicated to Czech Veterans in the nation; and for this, we feel honored.

In 2023, TCGS will take our tribute up and beyond to the next level to honor those who gave their lives for our freedom. We can do this only with your support. How? By submitting your Czech Veteran’s name and photo. Your veteran only needs “one drop” of Czech blood to qualify. This veteran could be your dad, husband, wife, brother, sister, distant relative, or acquaintance.

Their lives were unfinished. They left empty places in our hearts; but their lives are not forgotten. United by our bond of Czech heritage that highly prizes freedom, may we continue to stand against freedom’s enemies so that they will not have died in vain.

This tribute is not for TCGS members only; but for all Czechs. Please send the name, photo, date of birth and death, if known, of your Czech Veteran who gave his or her life to:

Charlene Hurta at cmhurta@earthlink.net; or mail to Charlene at 1231 CR 201A, Angleton, Texas 77515. If you have an email address, please include it if you are mailing the photo in order that we may make sure you receive notification of the link to our recording paying Tribute to Czech Veterans’ Who Paid the Ultimate Sacrifice Tribute beginning the week of May 22, 2023. Veteran photo(s) and information submission deadline is April 1, 2023.^

God bless America.

Charlene Hurta TCGS Vice President SPJST Lodge 200 Bruceville-Eddy —SPJST—

Albert J. Blaha Memorial Scholarship to be awarded; deadline is April 2

This $1,000 scholarship is granted by Milady “Bunny” Blaha, the eldest child of Albert Blaha, the founder of the Czech Heritage Society of Texas (CHS), to a graduating Texas high school senior or Texas college, university, or vocational/technical school first year student of Czech descent. Primary qualifications include past or current Czech culture- and heritage-related activities and involvement. Proof of registration in a program of studies at a college, university or vocational/technical school is required of the selectee prior to disbursement of the financial award which will be made to the school, not directly to the selectee.

The applicant must submit the following: (All personal documents are to be in Times New Roman font, 14-point, oneinch margins.)

1. An original 300-400-word essay describing what your Czech heritage means to you, how it has influenced you, your current and past Czech cultural and heritage involvement and why you think you should be selected for this scholarship.

2. A list briefly describing ways in which you have been involved with Czech culture and heritage in descending order of importance. Skip a line between each numbered item in the list. Attach evidence or attestation from a cognizant person for each. Possible ideas:

• Take Czech language or history lessons.

• Research family genealogy and create a family tree (at least 4 generations).

• Interview a senior (65+) person of Czech descent about his/her life or his/her ancestor’s life.

• Visit a cemetery with Czech graves and record information on several interesting Czech markers.

• Help clean up or mow a cemetery with Czech graves.

• Membership in CHS or other Czech organization and attend several meetings.

• Organize, volunteer, or participate in a Czech-related program, e.g., the CHS Queen Pageant, a Czech celebration, play, polka band, dance group.

• Make kolache or other traditional Czech food.

• Attend Hus Camp (as student or staff).

• School project on Czech culture, heritage, history or language.

• Visit Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center (TCHCC), Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center, Czech painted churches of Texas, or other Czech-historic site.

• Attend a Czech festival.

(Active involvement earns 2 points; visiting/attending, 1 point or 2 points if more than 50 miles from home.)

3. Copy of most recent high school or college, university or vocational/technical school transcript.

4. Two letters of recommendation: one from a high school teacher, counselor, employer or other cognizant person attesting to your academic or vocational/technical promise; the other from an adult attesting to your interest and involvement in Czech culture and heritage.

5. A 100-plus word statement describing planned or current studies in a college, university, or vocational/technical school and planned career after graduation or certification. Include name of school.

6. A cover sheet including your name, address, phone number and email address; and high school name, address, and phone number.

All items must be submitted in one envelope postmarked no later than April 3, 2023, and sent to:

The Czech Heritage Society of Texas Albert J. Blaha Scholarship

Attn: Richard Skopik 305 Kingston Drive Waco, Texas 76712

Submitted by, Bunny Blaha —SPJST—

Czech Language Courses and Studies in the Czech Republic

We are proud to present the current offer of Czech language courses available for members of the Czech-American compatriot community.

1) Courses organized by the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research

• Czechs abroad

For Czechs abroad, the agency organizes a four-week Czech language course and arranges study stays at Czech public universities. This course is designed for Czechs over the age of 18 who live abroad and want to learn the language of their ancestors or hone their proficiency in it.

Dates: July 24 to August 18, 2023

Location: Poděbrady, Czechia Application deadline: March 15, 2023

More information, including application process: Programme for the Support of Czech Cultural Heritage Abroad, Dům zahraniční spolupráce (dzs.cz)

• Teachers of Czech for Czechs Abroad

This course is designed for teachers who come from Czech communities abroad. The participants take part in two-week intensive teaching of Czech language methodology with the aim of improving and stabilizing the ways in which Czech is taught, especially in Czech communities where no teacher has been posted before.

Dates: August 28 to September 9, 2023 Location: Prague

Texas Czech Genealogical Society

Website: txczgs.org

Promoting the study of the genealogy of the particular group of people known as “Texas Czechs.”

For membership: Marie Dulak 979-324-7871

Application deadline: March 15, 2023

More information, including application process: Programme for the Support of Czech Cultural Heritage Abroad, Dům zahraniční spolupráce (dzs.cz)

For the most up-to-date information about both programs, please visit Programme for the Support of Czech Cultural Heritage Abroad | Dům zahraniční spolupráce (dzs.cz) or email: olga.vlachova@dzs.cz

2) Summer School of Slavonic Studies

Summer Schools of Slavonic Studies (SSSS) are study courses organized by several public universities in the Czech Republic. Courses are held annually during the summer months (July, August, and September). Their duration ranges from three to four weeks. The length of the course is determined by the organizing school.

The courses are primarily designed for foreign students, specialists (teachers, translators), and academics in the field of Czech studies and Slavonic studies, however, they are open to all those interested in the Czech language, literature, history, and culture over the age of 18. Applicants from within the Washington, DC, jurisdiction can apply to participate in SSSS in Prague (1 spot), Brno (1 spot), and Pilsen (1 spot).

Application deadline: March 31, 2023

More information, including application process: https://www.msmt.cz/eu-and-international-affairs/summer-schools-ofslavonic-studies-2023

For the most up-to-date information, please visit the link above or email Magdalena.VillatoroSladkova@msmt.cz —SPJST—