Slovaks living in the USA have marked the centenary of the formation of Czechoslovakia with various events, with those living in Pittsburgh planting a Tree of Freedom and Democracy. A silver lime tree has been planted on Flagstaff Hill in the popular Schenley park overlooking the city to commemorate the setting up of the independent and democratic state.
The city of Pittsburgh played a significant role in Czechoslovakia's founding. On May 30, 1918, representatives of the Slovak League in America, the Czech National Association and the Union of Czech Catholics signed the Pittsburgh Agreement there with future Czechoslovak president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. The document declared consent with a political programme for the union of Czechs and Slovaks in a common state.
Slovak honorary consul Joe Senko and Czech honorary consul Carol Hochmanová addressed dozens of Slovaks living in the USA. Students from the Czech and Slovak school in Pittsburgh sang the Czech and Slovak anthems, and their teacher Jitka Benediková baked lime leaf-shaped gingerbread for those taking part.
A similar event was organised by Slovaks living in Chicago, who planted a lime tree by T.G. Masaryk's memorial in Midway Plaisance park near Chicago University. According to them, the lime tree recalls not only the founding of the independent state, but also Masaryk's close relationship with Chicago University and continuing good relations between the Czech and Slovak community in Chicago and their home countries.
The Slovak Embassy in the USA marked the anniversary by laying a wreath at the statue of the first Czechoslovak president in Washington. The event was attended by Slovak Ambassador Ivan Korčok and former US ambassadors to Slovakia Theodor Russell and Theodor Sedgwick. Korčok on this occasion said that the formation of Czechoslovakia is an event that needs to be commemorated, as Slovaks and Czechs were given a chance to take over responsibility for their own destiny in October 1918. He pointed to the role of Slovaks living in the USA in Czechoslovakia's founding, as well as the United States' support.
"I'm proud of the fact that today I represent Slovakia in a country in which our compatriots waged a political struggle for our freedom, in which Milan Rastislav Stefanik recruited volunteers for the Czechoslovak legions and whose president [Thomas] Woodrow Wilson became one of the most influential defenders of a free and independent Czechoslovakia," said Korčok.
