October 2009
Vice President Biden Visits Prague
U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden visited the Czech Republic on October 22-23 to discuss security, energy and trade cooperation. The Vice President met with Prime Minister Jan Fischer, President Vaclav Klaus, Czech political parties’ chairmen and Parliament representatives. In his statement at prime minister’s office after a debate on the potential role the Czech Republic could play in a new anti-missile project, Biden said, “The Czech Republic stepped up and did their part in the previous missile defense plan, and today we discussed the potential role the Czech Republic could play in a new architecture. … I'm very appreciative of the Prime Minister's statement to me that the Czech Republic is ready to be a part of that new architecture, and discuss the terms of this -- that this participation will Vice President Biden with Prime Minister Fischer in Prague (Photo: Petra take. He affirmed to me that this is a very important Kapesova) project for Europe, and we appreciate that, and are looking forward to working with him and the government.” He added a high-level defense team will come to CR in early November to discuss defense cooperation. Biden’s visit is the first of a U.S. vice president to the Czech Republic. Prague was the last stop of his three-nation tour of Eastern/Central Europe. More information is available on U.S. Embassy web site at http://prague.usembassy.gov/.
Ethics and Future of Photojournalism Discussed At Prague Seminar
The ethics of photojournalism, the impact of photographs Jack Bobo, the U.S. State Department Special Advisor on Biotechnologies on the news and the trends currently affecting photo(Photo: Michal Stichauer) journalism and documentary photography were the topics of a seminar jointly offered by the Alexia Foundation, Charles University’s Social Sciences Faculty and the U.S. Embassy in PraMore than 120 students packed the gue on October auditorium (Photo: John Vance) 5-6. Speakers included documentary photographer Ami Vitale; Michele Stephenson, a former director of photography at TIME Magazine, and other experts. In addition to offering their impressions of photojournalism in the Czech Republic, participants shared their photo portfolios with the lecturers, who for
years determined what photos ran in some of the world’s most prestigious photojournalism publications.
Embassy Supports Biotechnology Conference
Over 90 farmers, food and feed industry representatives, scientists and policy makers met in Prague’s Marriott hotel on September 19 at the conference "Biotechnology – Feeding the Future" to discuss global challenges, resources for food, energy production and also to address climate change. The seJack Bobo, the U.S. State Department ssion was opened Special Advisor on Biotechnologies by Chargé (Photo: Michal Stichauer) d’Affaires Mary Thompson Jones, who said food security is a priority for the U.S. Government and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Secretary Clinton recently traveled to Africa to meet with ministers of agriculture and convened a
Embassy of the United States of America. Trziste 15, 11801 Praha1, Czech Republic. Phone (+420) 257 022 002, fax (+420) 257 022 814. E-mail and subscription: PragueNewsletter@state.gov. Web: http://prague.usembassy.gov
meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during the latest U.N. General Assembly in New York. In food security, the U.S. position is that poor farmers in Africa, Asia, and other regions need to grow more of their own food. The Chargé explained that the globe will have to produce more food with less water and land each year. Crop biotechnology can be a part of the solution, she said. President of the Czech Agrarian Chamber, Jan Veleba, expressed his hope that more science and innovation will push Czech farmers ahead to future innovations. Veleba noted that after traveling to the United States he was convinced that Czechs need to be more active across Europe to get access to newer and better technology for their farms. Jack Bobo, the U.S. State Department special advisor on biotechnology, said that over time Europe would accept GMOs. He said that it wasn’t accurate to think that Europe had rejected the technology. He added more than thirty types of plant GMOs had been accepted in Europe for feed and food use.
Argo Promotes American Literature
On October 1 Argo Publishing launched a year-long celebration of its Anglo-American literature series / AAA with a kick-off event at Academia Bookstore in Prague. The U.S. Embassy has been a proud, long standing supporter of Argo, who over the past 15 years of this series, managed by chief editor Eva Slámová, has translated 100 important Eva Slámová in Academia works of contembookstore in Prague (Photo: ARGO) porary Anglo-American literature into Czech. This year, Argo and the U.S. Embassy will broaden the interest and knowledge of contemporary AngloAmerican literature, from Charles Bukowski and Raymond Carver to Cormac McCarthy and Jhumpa Lahiri, by sponsoring speaking tours by prominent American authors as part of the Prague Book Fair in May 2010 and readings of American novels throughout the year.
Embassy Helps Alzheimer Czechs
The U.S. Embassy and the Czech Alzheimer Society introduced an international effort to educate children about aging and Alzheimer’s disease at the American Center on October 1. In front of a number of distinguished Inka and Joyce entertain public in American Czech and Center (Photo: Klara Cuchnova) U.S. specialists in the field of Alzheimer disease and aging, American author and specialist in long-term care for people with Alzheimer disease Joyce Simard and Czech artist Inka Delevová launched the Czech translation of their children’s book “The Magic Tape Recorder.” This important book will be introduced throughout schools in the Czech Republic.
1st American Franchise Day - FrAMchise Day 2009 Tool Place in Prague
The Czech Franchise Institute (ČIFRA) and the Foreign Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy organized FrAMchise Day 2009 – 1st American Franchise Day on October 20th at Prague's Hilton Hotel Old Town. Over thirty successful American franchise brands and entrepreneur concepts participated in the event. This was the first time thetrade show, with an impressive number of overseas franchise brands, was organized in the CR. The program also addressed the importance of franchising and marketing; it focused on discussing the possibilities of broader franchising applications in the Czech market and the elimination of obstacles in different entrepreneurial environments. www.framchise.cz
New U.S. Fulbright Grantees Begin to Teach and Work at Czech Schools
On September 16, Chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Prague Mary Thompson-Jones welcomed to the Czech Republic 12 new U.S. Fulbright grantees for the academic year 2009-2010. American professors, researchers, students and teachers will teach, conduct research or study at Czech universities and secondary schools for one semester or for the whole academic year. Five of them will stay in Prague, three in Brno, and one in each of the four towns: Chrudim, Lipník nad Bečvou, Prachatice and Frenštát pod Radhoštem.
From the Embassy’s Diary…
Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Until Nov. 30 U.S. Feminism: a series of lectures with Nina Bosnicova, American Center, 7 p.m. Film screening: The Naked City, A.C., 6 p.m. Exhibition: The Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, A.C.
Embassy of the United States of America. Trziste 15, 11801 Praha1, Czech Republic. Phone (+420) 257 022 002, fax (+420) 257 022 814. E-mail and subscription: PragueNewsletter@state.gov. Web: http://prague.usembassy.gov