U.S. Ambassador Visits Moravian-Silesian Region

Prague, September 17, 2008

U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Richard W. Graber will visit Moravskoslezsky Region on September 18 and 19, 2008.  The aim is to get acquainted with the region, its government, and its local economic and political structure.

In Roznov pod Radhostem, he will meet Mayor Jaroslav Kubin and other political representatives and will also visit the Wallachian Museum to see the development of the region’s vernacular (folk) architecture.  In Koprivnice, the ambassador will tour the town hall and industrial park with Mayor Josef Jaluvka.  Ambassador Graber will also visit Butterfly, a center for handicapped children.  On Friday, Graber will sit down with Governor Evzen Tosenovsky and Ostrava Mayor Petr Kajnar before dropping in to see the U.S junior figure skating team, which is participating in a Grand Prix competition.

Ambassador Graber will pay a call to Roma activist Kumar Vishwanathan and to the community center, the Coexistence Village.  The U.S. Embassy granted the Alice Garrigue Masaryk Award to Vishwanathan for his leadership and initiative, which led to the creation of the Coexistence Village, where Roma and non-Roma families live in a community.