2008 press releases

Honorary Consuls in American Center

Prague, June 2, 2008 

More than ten honorary consuls who represent the Czech Republic in different states in the U.S. will meet U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Richard Graber and former Czech Ambassador to the U.S. Alexandr Vondra at the American Center on Tuesday, June 3. It will be the first meeting of these American citizens who volunteer as Czech honorary consuls to develop Czech-American relations and assist Czech visitor to the U.S. in difficult situations by providing consular assistance.

One of the invited honorary consuls will be Alan Becker from Florida, who is the longest-serving Czech honorary consul in the United States.  Also present will be representatives of Czech-Americans in Philadelpia Peter Rafaeli and George Novak, who assisted the Czech national team in Atlanta in 1996. Kenneth Zezulka from New Orleans will join the delegation; Zezulka reconstructed the consular office destroyed by hurricane Katrina at his own expense and fully renewed the activities of the Honorary Consulate in Louisiana.  The third generation of Czech-Americans living in the U.S. will be represented by Honorary Consul from Texas Raymond Snokhouse.  Richard Pivnicka, Honorary Consul from California, Honorary Consul Marie R. Amicci from Oregon and Washington, and the Honorary Consul in Alaska, Francis Nosek will participate in the event.  Renowned TV and radio ancor Judith Gordon from Puerto Rico will join, Kansas will be represented by Sharon Valasek, Pennsylvania and Ohio by Carol Hochman and Honorary Consul from Minneapolis, Robert Vanasek is expected to arrive.  In total, there are 14 honorary consulates in the U.S. directed by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Czech honorary consuls are traveling to Prague for a conference organized by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.