September 16, 1998

Contact:
Press Contact: Craig D'Ooge (202) 707-9189

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Václav Havel To Open Exhibit September 17

Václav Havel, President of the Czech Republic, will open an exhibition at the Library of Congress on Thursday, September 17, at 6 p.m. to mark the beginning of the Month of the Czech Republic. The exhibition, titled "The Birth of Czechoslovakia: October 1918," commemorates the 80th anniversary of the founding of the independent Czechoslovak state.

The event is open for coverage by the press, with credentials. Please enter the West entrance on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., at 5 p.m.

Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress, will deliver opening remarks, followed by His Excellency Alexandr Vondra, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States; the Honorable Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State; and President Havel, who will present orders to General John M.D. Shalikashvili, the Hon. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Václav Hyvnar, Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, Jirí Kovtun, Petr Bísek, Zdenek Hruban, Jaroslav Nemec (in memoriam), Ambassador Julian M. Niemczyk, the Hon. Peter V. Rodman, and Jeremy Rosner.

A reception will follow. The event will conclude at 8:30 p.m.

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PR 98-151
9/16/98
ISSN 0731-3527