The statue of T.G.M. in Washington

As we had already written, the statue of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia was unveiled in Washington on September 19, of this year. It was a special day not only for the Czech community in Washington, but for other places as well. After all, it was in part thanks to Masaryk and the support of USA that our state came into being.

The nearly four- meter tall statue made by sculptor Vincenc Makovsky [from 1937] was unveiled in the newly founded park near Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue.

Many important personalities headed by CR president Vaclav Havel were present at this festive moment. Among them was the former president of the Slovak Republic Michael Kovac, the former Secretary of State of USA Madeleine Albright, the great granddaughter of TGM Charlota Kotikova, as well as other guests. President Vaclav Havel with his wife Dagmar along with the other guests attended a festive reception in the atrium of the World Bank where Havel presented state awards to Jan Triska, Milton Cerny and others. The American Friends of the Czech Republic [AfoCR] headed by their president Milton Cerny put up the statue of TGM and organized the accompanying festivities.

We have asked some of those who attended, our readers, for their opinion.