Diplomacy Week 2025: Bringing the world of diplomacy closer to the Czech public
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the very first Diplomacy Week. It is a nationwide initiative designed to give students and the public a closer look at the work of Czech and international diplomats. The event is part of a broader effort to raise awareness about diplomacy, foster interest in international relations, and encourage young people to consider careers in foreign service.
Dozens of schools across the country are participating in this inaugural edition, alongside numerous foreign embassies based in Prague, Czech embassies abroad, and non-governmental partners. The program includes a wide range of activities: visits by both Czech and foreign diplomats to schools, student excursions to selected embassies in Prague, and public discussions in cities including the capital.
An important part of Czech public diplomacy is cooperation with people of Czech origin living abroad, especially in the United States. Dr. Ivan Dubovický from the Ministry’s Communications Department recently authored a book titled Czechs in America, published in both Czech and English. He explains why this connection is so vital:
“I always tried—and that was basically the reason why I wrote that book, which is aimed at a very wide general public, not scientifically written—because I always felt that we here in what is today the Czech Republic have forgotten the great contribution the Czechs abroad in general, and especially in the United States, have made to us. Not only with financial support during both world wars and material support, but also intellectual exchange that enriched not only us here—it was both-sided. That’s what I think is most important: to continue these relations between the old homeland and the new country. Because we can both be enriched very much—exchanging science, culture, everything, knowledge, and so on."
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"And I always feel that we really owe a big, big thank-you to our krajani, our countrymen abroad, especially in the United States, for all they have done for us in the past—politically, financially, and so on.”
The ministry emphasizes that Diplomacy Week is part of a broader, year-round effort to engage the public through school visits, lectures, and discussions. Those unable to attend this week’s events can look forward to similar opportunities in the months to come.
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Czechast about Czechs in America with Ivan Dubovický
From early explorers to Cold War émigrés, Czechs have made a lasting impact on American society.
