INVITATION:
On May 11, 2021, two-hours online seminar “Czechs and Alaska” is to be hosted by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles, which is also in charge of the State of Alaska. Join our webinar here.
The working language of the webinar is English.
REGISTRATION:
Registration is required. To receive the link to join, please register here.
PROGRAM:
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
08:00 AM AST (Fairbanks, Anchorage)
09:00 AM PST (Los Angeles)
12:00 AM EST (Washington D.C., New York)
18:00 PM CET (Prague)
Program: time is EST
Los Angeles –3 hours
Anchorage -4 hours
Prague +6 hours
Mr. Josef Smyček 12:00–12:05
– Deputy Head of Mission, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles
Introductory remarks, introduction of guests
H. E. Hynek Kmoníček 12:05–12:15
– Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States of America
Czech Republic´s application for Observer Status in the Arctic Council
Amb. Jaroslav Olša, Jr. 12:15–12:30
– historian and writer, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles (in charge of Alaska)
History of Czech presence on and knowledge of Alaska since the late 18th century until 1989
Mr. Josef Smyček 12:30–12:40
Introducing 2016 film “Czech Škoda renames Kodiaq from Kodiak” (4 minutes)
Amb. Zdeněk Lyčka 12:40-12:55
– polar explorer, writer and translator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Connections between Greenland, Alaska and the Czech/Moravian Brethren, and Czechs and Alaska today
Dr. Barbora Halašková 13:00-13:15
- Director of the ARCTOS Research Centre at Masaryk University in Brno, Department of International Relations and European Studies, and Vice-Chair of the IASC Social & Human Working Group
Polar research cooperation: A view from Central Europe
A two-minutes’ Powerpoint presentation on Josef Svoboda (without words), as an excerpt from the film “Prof. Josef Svoboda – a free man”.
Prof. Josef Elster 13:15-13:30
- Czech polar ecologist, founder of the Centre for Polar Ecology at the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice and co-founder of the Czech Arctic Research Infrastructure “Josef Svoboda Station” in Svalbard
Czech Arctic Research and North America
Mr. Francis J. Nosek 13:30-13:35
– lawyer, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Anchorage
Presenting activities and history of Czech Alaska Society
Q + A 13:35-13:50
Amb. Zdeněk Lyčka + Amb. Jaroslav Olša, Jr. 13:50-13:55
Recapitulation
Mr. Josef Smyček 14:00
Closing remarks
ABOUT THE WEBINAR:
It might appear that the inhabitants of the Czech Republic – a not particularly populous Central European country lacking an ocean –would have little interest in events happening in the far corners of the globe, to say nothing of the Arctic Circle.
But it turns out that the reverse is true, with accounts attesting to significant Czech activities in Alaska, spanning exploration, discovery, scientific research and sports.The two-hour-long program of the webinar will be opened with an introductory speech by H. E. Hynek Kmoníček, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States of America, explaining the Czech Republic´s application for Observer Status in the Arctic Council.
The historical and scientific part of the webinar will start with Amb. Jaroslav Olša, Jr., historian and writer and Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles, and Amb. Zdeněk Lyčka, polar explorer, writer and translator from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, introducing their forthcoming exhibition and a book “Czechs and Alaska. From the Heart of Europe to the Northern Edge of America”. Prepared on the occasion of the 230th anniversary since the botanist Thaddäus Haenke became the first person from the historical Czech Lands who set foot on Alaskan soil in Yakutat Bay. Both panelists will present the activities of Czechs in the US state of Alaska and its Aleutian Islands, as well as the connections and observations of the inhabitants of the country in the heart of Europe with respect to this farthest part of the United States.
Between both presentations by Amb. Olša, Jr., and Amb. Lyčka, a short 2016 film “Czech Škoda renames Kodiaq from Kodiak” will be screened.
Dr. Barbora Halašková, Director of the ARCTOS Research Centre at Masaryk University in Brno and Vice-Chair of the IASC Social & Human Working Group, will speak about her arctic research work for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about her co-authored, newly published book on the Arctic states, about her role in IASC, etc.
Prof. Josef Elster, Czech polar ecologist, founder of the Centre for Polar Ecology at the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice and co-founder of the Czech Arctic Research Infrastructure “Josef Svoboda Station” in Svalbard, will speak about Czech-Canadian Arctic ecologist and tundra botanist Josef Svoboda, Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto and Officer of the Order of Canada. He will also mention Czech scientists’ cooperation with Prof. Svoboda, having in mind that the Czech Arctic Research Infrastructure in Svalbard is named in his honor. Prof. Elster will conclude his speech introducing the scientific work done by Dr. Michael Svoboda – Prof. Svoboda’s son – in the High Arctic.
ORGANIZERS:
This program is organized by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles with support of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in D.C., and the Czech Center New York.
Consulate General of the Czech Republic
10990 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel.: (310) 473-0889
Fax: (310) 473-9813
E-mail: losangeles@embassy.mzv.cz
Web: www.mzv.cz/losangeles
