The Czech Ambassador Mr Vít Korselt summarized the reasons for hosting the event in his opening speech: “On the 5th of July we commemorate the arrival of Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia in 863. The 6th of July is the day of death of Jan Hus, a Czech religious reformer and missionary, that was burned at the stake at the Council of Constance (Konstanz) in the year 1415. On 30th of June we commemorate the Day of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. Not least but last, we have gathered here for the commencement of the Czech Presidency in the Council of European Union.”

After Mr Korselt’s speech, the Lithuanian opera singer Mrs. Ieva Barbora Juozapaitytė sang the national anthems of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Lithuania and the anthem of the EU with the accompaniment of Mr Linas Duzinkas at a piano.

Afterwards, Mr Korselt continued with a short remark: “Ukraine and solving the problems that arose from the Russian aggression will be one of the main priorities of the Czech Presidency. On 26th of July 1963 in front of Schöneberg town hall, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States said the memorable sentence: “Ich bin ein Berliner!” - “I am a Berliner.” Let me modify this quote a little bit: ‘We are Ukrainians!’”