This makes the opening of our new Honorary Consulate in Nebraska truly a special occasion. The official appointment of Dr. Míla Šašková – Pierce took place at the Nebraska Club and we were honored by many special guests, including Lt. Governor of Nebraska Hon. Mike Foley, State Secretary of Nebraska Hon. John Gale, Nebraska State Senators of Czech ancestry: Hon. Carol Blood, Hon. Roy Baker and Hon. Bob Krist, representatives of Nebraska National Guard (which has been a partner of the Czech Army since 1993), including the guard´s commanding officer Major General Daryl Bohac, and Major General Michael Navrkal, representatives of the University of Nebraska, including Executive Vice President and Provost Susan Fritz, Chancellor Ronnie Green, and Associate Vice Chancellor Michael Zeleny, the Mayor of Wilber, the Czech Capital in the United States as proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan, Hon. Roger Chrans, representatives of Czech-American organizations of Lincoln, Omaha, York and Wilber and other Czech-Americans. Without the long-term help and support of many of these guests the Czech-Nebraska, and Czech-American relations as such, would not be the same.

Dr. Míla Šašková – Pierce does not need an introduction in Nebraska. Her professional career is closely linked with the University of Nebraska in Lilcoln, specifically, with its Department of Modern Languages. Without her, we would probably not be able to celebrate 110 years of the uninterrupted teaching of Czech language at the University. For many years she has been the driving force behind many Czech-American projects well beyond this department. Most recently she was for example instrumental in the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the University and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic. Moreover, the University was by no means a limit for her work on behalf of the Czech Republic. She has been a member and strong supporter of many Czech-American organizations, including the Czechoslovak Society of Sciences and Arts. In fact though unofficially she has already excelled as a representative of the Czech Republic in Nebraska and therefore I have no doubt she will continue to do so also officially.

I am proud to have been a part of the nomination process of Dr. Šašková – Pierce. I congratulate her and wish her a lot of success in her new role!

During my visit in Nebraska on October 22 – 24, I and my wife Kateřina had the pleasure to accompany Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States, H.E. Hynek Kmoníček and his wife Indira Gumarova. Our program included also Czech Language Foundation Banquet, which celebrated 110 years of the Czech language program at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, meeting with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, visit of the Nebraska National Guard, University of Nebraska in Lincoln, including its Czech historical archives and Innovation Campus, and the Czech Capital in the United States, Wilber.

 

Bořek Lizec, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Chicago

 

Basic information about the Honorary Consulate in Lincoln:
Honorary Consul: Miluše Šašková-Pierce
Address: 6701 Everett Street, Lincoln, NE 68506 USA
Phone: +1 402-770-4624
E-mail: lincoln@honorary.mzv.cz
Consular district: Nebraska
Hours of operation:  upon appointment