Czech Embassy Celebrates Independence Day, Shows Support for Ukraine

Friday 28 October 2022 marks Czechoslovak Independence Day, the national day of the Czech Republic.

Celebrated annually on 28 October, this holiday commemorates the date in 1918 on which Czechoslovakia was established following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As well as marking the 104th anniversary of the creation of the First Czechoslovak Republic, 2022 marks the centenary of diplomatic relations between Czechia and Luxembourg.

In this context, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Luxembourg celebrated both milestones with a special reception on Thursday 20 October 2022. As the Czech Ambassador to Luxembourg, Vladimír Bärtl, told Chronicle.lu: “We have combined the celebration of this anniversary in Luxembourg last week with the celebration of the centenary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. It is also the round anniversary of Škoda Luxembourg's 30 years of operation. Therefore, many of its clients and partners were present at the reception too”. The celebrations included performances of the Czech, Luxembourg and Ukrainian anthems by the Confrérie du chant traditionnel, whilst local folk group Melimelo sang and danced to Czech and Moravian songs.

Elaborating on the decision to show support to Ukraine on this occasion, Ambassador Bärtl drew parallels between the establishment of Czechoslovakia as an independent state in 1918 and Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for its national sovereignty amid the war of aggression waged by Russia. He summed up the mood of this year’s Czechoslovak Independence Day by first citing a statement made by the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) on this occasion: “Today's national holiday of the establishment of an independent state is aptly commented by the Czech Security Information Service: ‘Our own state, our own governance and our own responsibility for the fate of the country. All this was the dream of many generations, which came true on 28 October 1918. Today we see that even in the 21st century, having our own free and democratic state is not a given. Responsibility to the heritage of our ancestors never ends’”.

The Czech Ambassador added, in his own words: “Czechia, Luxembourg - every state that wants to run its own affairs has the similar credo. There is no reason why Ukraine, which has to fight for it in the 21st century, as many states did in the 20th century, should not have it too”.

According to the national persons register, there were 1,349 Czech Republic nationals (including dual or multiple nationality holders) residing in Luxembourg as of 1 October 2022. Of these 1,349 Czech nationals, 523 (39%) were living in Luxembourg City.