The title by the Ambassador of Romania in Prague, H.E. Mrs. Antoaneta Barta, on the occasion of the unveiling of the commemorative plaque honoring the support of the Romanian people for the declaration of Czechoslovakia’s independence without bloodshed.
On October 23, 2023 the ceremony of unveiling the commemorative plaque remembering the support of the Romanian people for the declaration of Czechoslovakia’s independence without bloodshed took place, organized by the Embassy of Romania in Prague in cooperation with the Faculty of Music and Dance of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague Prague.
The commemorative plaque was placed on the building of the Faculty of Music and Dance of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, in the immediate vicinity of the Embassy of Romania in Prague, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies, where at the end of World War I the Romanian Transylvanian military stationed who refused to open fire against Czechoslovakia’s independence protesters and armed the first units of the Czechoslovak army. The ceremony takes place on the 90th anniversary of the installation in 1933, on the National Day of Czechoslovakia, of the original plate and marks, at the same time, the 105th anniversary of the end of the First World War, which led to the proclamation of independent Romanian and Czechoslovakian states.
During an impressive ceremony, the President of the Senate of Romania, Mr. Nicolae Ciuca, and the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Miloš Vystrčil unveiled the commemorative plaque together and laid flower wreaths.
In his speech, the President of the Senate of Romania highlighted the episode in the fall of 1918, when Romanian soldiers and the Czech people wrote together an important page from the long history of the Romanian-Czech friendship, which added the partnership within the Small Entente from the interwar period, Romania’s contribution to the liberation of Czechoslovakia during the time of the Second World War and Romania’s refusal to participate in the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. A symbol of friendship and solidarity between Romanians and Czechs over a century, the reinstallation of the plaque brings back to memory the Romanian-Czech solidarity and represents a call for the continuation of strengthening bilateral relations within the EU and NATO.
President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Mr. Miloš Vystrčil, emphasized, in his speech, the gratitude of the Czech people for the solidarity shown by the Romanian military and highlighted the idea of unity in the face of aggression, expressing confidence in the positive common future of bilateral relations.
The Ambassador of Romania in Prague, H.E. Mrs. Antoaneta Barta, stressed that the unveiling of the commemorative plaque represents, in essence, the restoration of a significant moment of the common history, an important lesson of life and solidarity, which must be appreciated and passed on to future generations. At the same time, the ambassador expressed satisfaction for the excellent cooperation and thanked the management of the Prague Academy of Fine Arts for the support.
The Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, Mrs. Ingeborg Radok Ná, and the Deputy Minister of Defense, Mr. Daniel Blažkovec, also gave speeches.
At the ceremony presence of high-ranking Czech and Romanian officials, representatives of local authorities and the media, members of the diplomatic body, representatives of the Romanian community, of the Czech-Romania Association for joining us in large numbers at this event of special significance for bilateral relations and for the Embassy of Romania in Prague, which made possible this historic moment, long-awaited!
The Romania Embassy in the Czech Republic would like to thank the Sokol Association and the students from the Faculty of Music and Dance for the musical and ceremonial accompaniment!