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_____________________________________________________________________________ Fall 2018 NEWSLETTER Volume XXIV, Number 2 AFoCR Award Gala Celebrates deep Czech ties, and his pride to represent the American people as th their Ambassador. He praised the talent and commitment of the 100 Anniversary of Czechs, who “have worked diligently to protect our shared values and the freedom regained after the Nazi occupation and forty years Czechoslovak Independence of communism,” and expressed the faith that the “bonds of friendship would remain ironclad over the next century.” Ambassador Kmoníek also alluded to the influence of Czech immigration, noting that the Czech nation has “two legs - one in the Gala Honoree Czech Republic, and one abroad, including in the U.S.” With Fred Malek tongue in cheek, he expressed the wish that both legs can walk straight without limping. Before dinner, guests were treated to a short video describing Tomáš Masaryk and the movement that led to the creation of the Czechoslovak state in November 1918. After dinner, Czech Roma Over 200 friends, descendants, and citizens of the Czech Pianist Tomáš Kao played a composition based on the old Czech Republic gathered in the Folger Shakespeare Library in folk song “Široký, hluboký” (Wide, deep), about a man lamenting a Washington, D.C., on the evening of November 1, 2018, to lost love. He was then joined at the piano by Michaela Bakala for a celebrate the 100th anniversary of the independence of duet of the folk song “Ach synku, synku” (Oh, my son), which was Czechoslovakia. The gala dinner also honored AFoCR Masaryk’s favorite. In the song, a father encourages his son to fix Chairman Fred Malek with the Václav Havel Award for the his broken plow so that he can succeed in his task. Advancement of Civil Society, which was presented by former At the podium Mrs. Bakala described how honored she was to be U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who was born in present, especially as she was born under the communist regime and Czechoslovakia. Washington Post newspaper columnist Petula had never thought she could even come to America. She Dvorak, whose parents immigrated from Czechoslovakia, emphasized that without the United States there never would have served as the Master of Ceremonies. been a Czechoslovakia. Finally, she praised the tremendous In addition to U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic contributions of Fred Malek, an enormous personality from a Stephen B. King and Czech Ambassador to the U.S. Hynek humble background who lived a dream and gave much back to Kmoníek, the event was honored by the presence of four America and the Czech Republic. former U.S. Ambassadors to the Czech Republic: Bill Cabaniss Next was shown a video about Mr. Malek, his great success in the (2003-06), Richard W. Graber (2006-09), Norman L. Eisen business world, and his many philanthropic activities, including the (2011-14), and Andrew H. Schapiro (2014-17). Also present new Frederic V. Malek West Point Visitors Center at his alma were Michaela and Zdenk Bakala, who have been generous mater. The video concluded by reviewing his leadership, along supporters of AFoCR projects, as well as Ivan Hodá, President with that of entrepreneur Zdenk Bakala, AFoCR Director Fritz & Founder of the Aspen Institute Central Europe, and Jane Duda, and the Czech government, in rebuilding the Sokol Harmon, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson International gymnasium in the town of West, Texas, that had been destroyed in Center for Scholars. a tragic industrial plant explosion in 2013. Ms. Dvorak then The guests first congregated in the Library’s Great Hall for introduced Anna Dulock, representing Sokol West Gymnastics, cocktails and conversation, with entertainment by a jazz trio who described the joy in the community when the new gym opened comprised of guitarist Dom Petrellese, bassist James B. King, in November 2015. She noted their gratitude to Fred Malek and and drummer/percussionist Nasar Abadey, all three of whom are AFoCR for helping them to rebuild. acclaimed musicians working in the Washington area. The The next speaker was AFoCR Director Michelle Olson, Mr. guests then proceeded for dinner to the magnificent wood Malek’s daughter, who read a letter from former U.S. President paneled Paster Reading Room, its beamed ceilings reminiscent George W. Bush, who described him as a “fine American who of Shakespearian times. Ms. Dvorak welcomed all and answered the call to serve our Nation, but he never forgot his Czech introduced AFoCR President Thomas Dine, who remarked that roots.” Ms. Olson then introduced a video about Václav Havel, the the evening also celebrated the founding father of leader of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, and his historic speech to a Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrague Masaryk, who set high joint session of the U.S. Congress in February 1990. democratic principles for the new country: the rule of law, civic In preparing to present the Václav Havel Award for the equality, constitutionalism, and the freedoms of press and Advancement of Civil Society, Secretary Albright described Mr. worship. He further noted that AFoCR is a bipartisan Malek as a “doer” and acknowledged that people in Washington organization, dedicated to continuing to enhance the close and were often surprised to learn that she and he are such good friends, strong relationship between the democratic United States and due to their different political affiliations. She noted that the old the democratic Czech Lands. world Czech values that his parents instilled in him – a respect for In toasting 100 years of friendship between the countries, discipline, a belief in hard work, and a commitment to persevere in Ambassador King noted his upbringing in Chicago, a city with the face of any challenge – had helped him (Continued on Page 6) Fall 2018 Page 2 Volume XXIV, Number 2 Democracy has dissolved in Hungary under the eight-year Letter from dictatorship of Viktor Orban, who models himself after Putin. He literally labels his country an “illiberal society.” He has called his AFoCR President Tom Dine policies a “soft fascism,” which includes corruption at election ballot boxes, shakedowns of small- and medium-sized businesses, Democracy in Need in Central Europe and a kleptocratic government that steals from its citizens to enrich those at the top and disallows bidding on government contracts. He calls his regime “authoritarian,” and his communication efforts “propaganda.” In campaign speeches, he described migration from AFoCR President Syria and Lebanon as an existential threat and blamed this event on Tom Dine at George Soros, a Hungarian-born, successful American financier and AFoCR Award civil society philanthropist, who is a Jew. In September of 2018, Gala, 11/1/18 the European Parliament voted to label Orban’s government a “systematic threat to the rule of law.” Fledgling democracy building in Poland ground to a halt in 2015, the year the inaccurately named Law and Justice Party came to power. Today, Poland is currently flogging democratic institutions The current health and sustainability of “democracy” are doubted under the more and more repressive rule of Jarosaw Kaczyski. A almost daily in worldwide headlines, news reports, commentaries, retreat from democracy is underway, with checks and balances and conversations. undermined and independent institutions central to democracy Is democracy — as a form of government with its political denuded. Party loyalists are heading public media, increasing institutional and rule-based processes — on the decline? A short harassment of opposition politicians and judges, refusing to accept reply: yes, for instance, in the Visegrad countries of Central Europe, the European Union-mandated quota of refugees. Even worse is a as well as in Brazil, Italy, and Turkey. series of dramatic reforms to the court system, including the firing There are explanations for this development. One is a rapidly of the Supreme Court’s President. growing return to a cold-blooded and prevailing racial belief in Democracy in the Czech Republic is the strongest among the V-4, Caucasian dominance in Europe and the United States. Prejudice is but there is growing dissatisfaction with the quality of that fueled by fear as in the case of migration; prejudice is fueled by democracy, despite low unemployment and high economic growth, anger and disillusionment, along with poverty, poor wages, and as well as free and fair elections. Ongoing major political conflicts unemployment. Racial hate and insecurity lead to behavior that is and political corruption hinder the parliamentary and cabinet system both historically and currently marked by cruelty, desecration, of governing, with the Economist Intelligence Unit index labeling violence, and even mass murder. Instead of hierarchical clarity, the country’s democracy as “flawed.” The respected Freedom constitutional democratic societies often are characterized by House annual scorecard on democracy, however, still shows ambiguity, gradualness, and confusion - leading to frustration or Czechia as “free.” even worse. The spread of chaos and corruption can disrupt Democracy in the Slovak Republic, under stress since the Velvet democracies, as practiced by Russia’s authoritarian president and Divorce in 1993, has been less healthy than that in the Czech his henchmen. Republic. The Slovak people have been repeatedly demanding Vladimir Putin’s regime is inserting the Kremlin into the governmental reforms and the end of public corruption. As Prime geopolitical and military affairs of many countries in Europe, the Minister (1998-2006), Mikuláš Dzurinda accomplished many policy Middle East, and North America. Putin is hell-bent on making reforms — including a pro-market flat tax of 19 percent, pension Russia a recognized Great Power — although it is politically and reform, and educational financing — enough for Slovakia to be economically weak, as shown by its steady demographic decline invited into the European Union (EU) and NATO. Slovaks are owing to poor health and low birth rates.

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