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“IN RECOGNITION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF CONSULATE OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC IN KANSAS CITY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1910 on Oct. 17, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF CONSULATE OF THE SLOVAK
REPUBLIC IN KANSAS CITY
______
HON. KAREN McCARTHY
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, October 17, 2001
Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the historic October 18 opening of the Consulate of the Slovak Republic in Missouri's Fifth District. Mr. Ross Marine, the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic to the States of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, will receive the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, the Honorable H.E. Martin Butora, and his wife Zora Butorova.
The Consulate will serve to promote cultural, economic, and educational partnerships between the United States and the Slovak Republic. The Honorary Consul will encourage our expanding community of Slovaks to celebrate their heritage and culture, thus increasing awareness of the diversity of Kansas City's ethnic communities.
Eduard Kukan, the Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs, appointed Honorary Consul Marine to the post in September of 2000. The United States Department of State granted Honorary Consul Marine approval to establish the Consulate in Kansas City. Honorary Consul Marine brings an impressive background of civic, community, and health care service to the position.
Kansas City has a history of partnership with Slovakia. Slovaks established their first community in Kansas City around 1900. Many of them fled the then Austro-Hungarian Empire in search of economic security and better lives for their families. Their hard work led to the growth of the city's meat packing industry due to the agricultural background of many of these immigrants. Today, descendents of these Slovak immigrants continue to contribute to the fifth district's economic livelihood and cultural soul. The community keeps their roots alive by participating in the city's ethnic cultural folk festivals performing traditional dances such as the polka, the kola, and the paterka. The premier Slavic Festival in the Midwest, the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival, is an annual June event drawing Slovak musicians and dancers from all over the region. This celebration is always a great success since its inception 16 years ago. Representative of the ethnic community in Sugar Creek, Missouri, Mayor Stan Salva proudly traces his roots back to Slovakia, as do many residents of his city.
From 1996 to 1998 Truman Medical Center Corporation, the Missouri Department of Health, the Missouri Hospital Association, and Hope House, a women's shelter in Independence, Missouri, joined together to focus on domestic violence and youth drug abuse in Petrzalka, Slovakia, a district of the nation's capital city Bratislava. These Missouri institutions donated nearly $200,000 to study the problems and create solutions including several media campaigns to inform citizens, to establish a domestic violence center, and to hold many anti-drug forums.
Since its independence on January 1, 1993 as a result of the Velvet Revolution, Slovakia has existed under a democratic government. The new Constitution provides for the same liberties we enjoy in America including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly. Slovakia has made continued progress in the difficult transition from communism to a market based economy. More than 85 percent of the country's GDP is the result of private enterprise. Slovakia's social reform and economic prosperity will continue to expand in the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in welcoming Ambassador Butora and congratulating Honorary Consul Marine as they officially open the Consulate of the Slovak Republic in my district.
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