Foreign Minister honours 16 people for promoting good name of Czech Republic

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek on Friday presented 16 laureates with the Gratias Agit award for promoting the good name of the Czech Republic abroad. Among those awarded this year are former gymnast and legendary athlete Věra Čáslavská, Czech-Amercian writer and illustrator Petr Sís, and ballet dancers Jiří and Otto Bubeníček. Several foreign nationals were recognised as well, including Carlo Capalbo, founder of the Prague International Marathon and a leading Czech scholar in Romania, Anca Irina Ionescu. The awards are held annually in the Great Hall at Czernin Palace – the headquarters of the Czech Foreign Ministry.