Chargé d’Affaires Ordway Greets Medical Students

Chargé d’Affaires John Ordway and Dr. Martin Stransky

July 23, 2010

U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Ordway discussed U.S.-Czech political and economic relations, recent Czech history and life as a diplomat with more than 100 medical students from around the world on July 20 at Prague’s Topic Palace.

“Prague was my first diplomatic assignment. Prague today is a completely different world from the city I knew in 1978.  The changes are truly tremendous,” said Ordway in response to students’ questions.

The students were part of the Prague Selective -- the largest summer program for medical students of its type in the world. To date, more than 1,300 students from U.S. and international medical schools have taken part. Organizer Dr. Martin Stransky has invited the U.S. ambassador to meet in an informal setting with students for the last eight years.

Ambassador Ordway finished by pointing out that he wasn’t the only diplomat in the room.  “I strongly believe in the value of educational exchanges,” he said. “While government-to-government diplomacy is important, the role you play as informal ‘ambassadors’ for your countries is equally important.”