The Association pour l’Amitié Monégasco-Tchèque marked the 107th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia with a heartfelt celebration at the Banc Václav Havel on the Rocher, bringing together Czechs, Slovaks, and friends of the former Czechoslovakia for an evening of remembrance and unity on Tuesday, October 28.
Around fifty guests gathered for the occasion, including distinguished figures such as Czech football legend and former AS Monaco striker Jan Koller, and Matěj Urban, Czech principal dancer with the Ballets de Monte-Carlo.
The event also welcomed Tatiana Paracková, Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Monaco, and Štěpánka Strouhalová, President of the Franco-Czech Cultural Association in Nice. Several Monegasque dignitaries were also in attendance, among them Guillaume Rose, CEO of the Monaco Economic Board and President of the Commission de la Culture et du Patrimoine at the Conseil National.
In his address, Michal Kreslik, President of the Association pour l’Amitié Monégasco-Tchèque, reminded attendees that although Czechoslovakia may no longer appear on modern maps, “it very much lives on deep in our hearts.” He added that in today’s divided world, “we should seek what unites us — as Czechs and Slovaks have always done — rather than what divides us.”
Following the toast beside the Banc Václav Havel, inaugurated last year by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, guests moved on to a festive dinner at the Club Bouliste, where the evening on Tuesday, October 28 continued in a relaxed and joyful spirit.
The celebration reaffirmed the strength of the Czech and Slovak communities in Monaco and their shared commitment to preserving and celebrating the Czechoslovak legacy through friendship, culture, and dialogue.
