Events 2007

The Ambassador signs Jicin’s official visitor’s book

Ambassador Visits Jicin, Town of Fairytales

October 22, 2007

Ambassador Richard W. Graber is now an honorary citizen of the town of Jicin after being given a key to the city by Mayor Martin Pus on a day-long visit October 18. The Ambassador also spent time in “The City of Fairytales” speaking with gymnazium students about opportunities to study in the United States, touring the factory of a Czech-American dental company, and seeing the historic town square built by Albrecht of Valdstejn.
 
Jicin is known around the Czech Republic as home of the famous fairytale character Rumcajs and is home to a major children’s festival every September. Recently, Jicin has established itself as hub of industrial production, and there has been nearly a decade of American investment in SpofaDental, a local company that has produced dental products and teeth since 1930.

Among the highlights of the day was the visit to Leparovo Gymnazium, where students queried the Ambassador on subjects from the Visa Waiver Program to his feelings about Czech food. Noting that one of his sons was also their age, the Ambassador stressed the importance of international exchange of people and ideas and outlined ways in which Czech students can get exchange or student visas to the USA.

The Ambassador signs Jicin’s official visitor’s book, which was started in the early 20th century and includes among its first entries the best wishes from then President Thomas Masaryk.	The Ambassador tours the factory of SpofaDental, a company with American ownership that sells dental products and teeth in the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. The partnership between SpofaDental and its American mother company has resulted in modernized products and healthy profits for Spofa’s increasing eastern markets.