„  The Sokol organization in the United States is a great demonstration of the Sokol idea that mental and physical development of one person also helps the development and integrity of the whole nation. Chicago and the Midwest of the USA has a large population of Czech immigrants. The Sokol organizations are centers of the Czech-American life. Almost every Czech person has to be impressed when they see descendants of immigrants from the 19th century who are able to sing the Czech national anthem and other Czech national songs  with a slight accent without being able to speak the Czech language at all. “ said the Consul General in Chicago Bořek Lizec.

The celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sokol was  also attended by the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Ms. Kateřina Valachová with her delegation. Other important attendees were Mr. Martin Pros, the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Petr Gandalovič, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the USA, Mr. Bořek Lizec, the Consul General of the Czech Republic in Chicago, Mr. Jaroslav Kantůrek, the Commissioner for Czechs living abroad, the President of Czech Sokol, Ms. Hana Moučková and Sokol  representatives from other countries.

The program of the anniversary included not only the Gala,  which was  held in the Chicago center on Saturday but also presentations of gymnastics and a volleyball tournament.  Ms. Kateřina Valachová´s schedule in Chicago contained other programs to mainly support expansion of cooperation in the fields of education, research and development between the Midwest of the United States and the Czech Republic.

The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago organized a roundtable discussion where the Minister of Education had a chance to meet representatives of 15 high schools, universities  and research institutions and discussed their projects with the Czech Republic.  In a smaller scale she met some of the presidents of local universities. 

Ms Valachová visited the laboratories of  Fermilab that  have been cooperating with Czech scientists for the past 20 years and  also visited 3 schools providing Czech lessons in the Chicago area.

At the prestigious University of Chicago the Minister met the University representatives as well as leading representatives of the Czech American community. The main reason for this get together was to remember the important role of the University at the creation of Czechoslovakia and later again after the WWII.

 

150th Anniversary of American Sokol on Czech TV http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/1097181328-udalosti/215411000101120/obsah/436384-americky-sokol-slavi-150-let