The gala evening was organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic together with the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU and the Czech Centre Brussels. Tamara Katuščák, Chargé d'affaires a.i. gave the opening speech and welcomed all the guests. The important events of Czechoslovak history which are celebrated in 2018 where remembered by Radek Vondráček, Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and Boris Zala, Member of the European Parliament for Slovakia. Jaroslav Zajíček, Ambassador of the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, and Peter Javorčík, Ambassador of the Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic to the EU spoke about the current situation of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and their cooperation within the European Union. Director of the Czech Centre Brussels Jitka Pánek Jurková presented the original leaflet published for this year's anniversary program and highlighted the main events organized by various Czech subjects at the occassion of the Czech and Slovak century in Belgium. The event was attended also by Jiří Šesták, Vice-President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and European Commissioner Věra Jourová.

After the speeches a projection of a Czech movie "Masaryk" by director Julius Ševčík took place. The whole event was closed by a gala reception.

Author: Julie Jäger, Trainee of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Brussels