During the Czech National Day celebration in Chicago, Mr. Daryl Bohac, Secretary of the American Friends of the Czech Republic, delivered remarks reflecting on decades of Czech–U.S. cooperation and outlining our future focus on political, cultural, and academic diplomacy initiatives.

In celebration of Czech National Day, we were honored to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the T. G. Masaryk Memorial in Washington, D.C., alongside Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Ambassador Miloslav Stašek, and Slovak Deputy Chief of Mission Matúš Huťka. The event paid tribute to President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, founder of Czechoslovakia and a lasting symbol of democracy, freedom, and Czech-American friendship. AFOCR President Roger Kodat delivered remarks reflecting on Masaryk’s unifying vision and enduring legacy—a message that continues to inspire transatlantic cooperation today.

Photo Credit: Michal Danis

This year marks a remarkable milestone—the 30th anniversary of the American Friends of the Czech Republic. For three decades, AFOCR has worked tirelessly to strengthen the enduring friendship between Czechia and the United States, building bridges across the Atlantic in diplomacy, business, security, culture, and education.

Photo Credit: Michal Danis

AFoCR proudly congratulates Major General (Ret.) Daryl Bohac, one of our officers, on being named a 2025 recipient of the Gratias Agit Award, presented by Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský.

Photo: Mr. Bohac and his wife Chris after the ceremony (photo credit Gabriela Cihlarova)

Join us for an unforgettable evening hosted by the Embassy of the Czech Republic and American Friends of the Czech Republic (AFoCR) as we honor the remarkable rise of the Czech National Baseball Team—a true story of heart, hustle, and international acclaim.

AFoCR mourns the passing of Ambassador William H. Luers, a distinguished American diplomat, cultural leader, and lifelong advocate for democratic values. He died on May 11, 2025, at the age of 95. As U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia in the 1980s, Ambassador Luers played a pivotal role in supporting Václav Havel and the Czech dissident movement during the final years of Communist rule.

Photo Credit: The Foundation for a Civil Society. Wendy Luers, Václav Havel, Kveta Dienstbierová, Petr Pithart, William Luers and Karel Schwarzenberg gather at President Havel’s inaugural dinner hosted by the Luers and Miles Glaser on December 28, 1989 – the night before his swearing in as President of free Czechoslovakia.

At this year’s EU Open House, held on May 10, 2025 at the Czech Embassy in Washington, DC, our officers Tom Dine and Jan Smilek, presented the organization’s 30-year history and shared future plans with hundreds of visitors.

Photo credit: Michal Daniš photodanis.cz

On April 24, 2025, our directors, Jiri Maly and Jordon Sims, participated in the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation's 18th Annual Roll Call of Nations Wreath Laying Ceremony. This moving event honored the more than 100 million victims of communism, a stark reminder of the over 1.5 billion people still living under its oppressive rule.

The letter is addressed to the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Congressional leadership.