| ACSA | |
| Full Name: | American Czech and Slovak Association |
| Status: | 501(c)(3) |
| Key People: | Robert Miller, President Oliver Gunovsky, Vice President Robert Doubek, Vice President |
| Headquarters: | Washington, D.C. |
| Location Country: | United States |
The American Czech and Slovak Association (ACSA), originally American Czechoslovak Society (ACS), was a Washington, D.C. based national organization with a mission to facilitate contacts and cooperation between people, institutions and organizations in the United States and the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and assist in the transition to democracy and market economy in Czechoslovakia after the Velvet Revolution, which ended Communist rule in the country. It was founded in 1990, and in 1994 it served as a foundation for the new American Friends of the Czech Republic (AFoCR).
In 1989, the communist governments of Central and Eastern Europe were in a state of collapse. The Polish Solidarity trade union and popularity of John Paul II helped force an election in Poland that created a new non-communist government. Hungary opened its borders with Austria, and in East Germany the Berlin Wall had fallen. Next month, on November 17, 1989, the Czechoslovak communist government-sanctioned ceremony took place in Prague to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1939 shutdown of Czech universities by the Nazi government, in which 1200 people were arrested, and 9 students murdered. This ceremony devolved into a peaceful anti-government protest in the streets of downtown Prague, and eventually culminated in the Velvet Revolution, which brought (without violence) a transition of power from the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia to a democratic federal republic.
As in many other former communist countries, the collapse of the communist regime excited many people of Czech and Slovak background who sought ways to extend support to the new fledgling republics in their transition to a democratic form of governance and in the transition to a free-market economy. In the immediate aftermath of the revolution, there was a void for the presence of such organizations for Czechoslovakia.
In Washington, D.C., a political refugee from Czechoslovakia, Robert Miller, along with George Levendis,[1] using an ad in The Washington Post, called for a founding meeting of the American Czechoslovak Society (ACS). The meeting took place in the Georgetown Public Library on February 7, 1990 with Hana Palec,[2] from the Czechoslovak desk at Voice of America reporting. The meeting was attended by 75 people, split between those with and without Czech or Slovak ethnic background. Resolutions on key organizational steps were adopted and, subsequently, the ACS was registered as a Delaware corporation[3] (Company #2221522), subsequently receiving the IRS Code 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
After the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia on January 1, 1993 – called in reference to the Velvet Revolution – the "Velvet Divorce", the ACS changed its name to the American Czech & Slovak Association (ACSA).
In February 1993, the ACSA moved from its original offices on 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to the historical Investment Building, closer to the White House, on 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20005.
In 1994, with more focus given to the advocacy role, the ACSA became the foundation for the newly founded and also Washington, D.C. based non-profit organization, American Friends of the Czech Republic (AFoCR).[4]
The ACSA was a leading national Czech and Slovak focused non-profit organization registered in 1990 in Delaware[5] with a mission to facilitate bilateral U.S. - Czech and Slovak cooperation in various areas of human endeavor and to assist the new democracy and free market reform. It was not primarily a diaspora and ethnic-based organization; rather, it brought together individual Americans and American private and public sector organizations sharing an interest in bilateral cooperation and supporting the post-Velvet Revolution era development in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
A nonprofit, nonpolitical, nongovernmental membership organization to:
Chaired by Michael Harthill, the committee provided links, contacts, and information to education-related organizations in both the United States and Czechoslovakia as well as to great numbers of volunteers willing to help with reform of educational system or teach English in schools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Committee also organized the collection and shipment of English language textbooks, books, video cassettes and CDs with language and educational context. Annually, on average, ACS/ACSA sent to in the Czech Republic or Slovakia about 50 volunteer teachers of English.
Chaired by Ann Elizabeth Robinson, PhD,[7] committee members facilitated development of databases of companies in both countries seeking cooperation and trade opportunities, investment, joint-ventures and transfer of know-how. The committee served as a contact point for visiting officials from Ministry of Industry and Trade, trade associations, and legislators.
Chaired by Charles P. Warr,[8] the committee taped extensive network of contact and sources of information in the area of public health and environmental protection, in particular, to assist people and governmental institutions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to start effectively addressing very serious problems in environmental degradation, starting with significant air pollution caused by the heavily industrialized economy and decades of significant neglect in remedial measures.
On the healthcare side, besides assisting in scientific exchanges in health care and research, the committee, in cooperation with the Polish American Congress and the Olga Havel Foundation,[9] delivered to the Czech Republic and Slovakia in total 50 kidney dialysis machines.
Chaired by the ACS Vice-President, Robert W. Doubek,[10] the committee utilized his expertise in representing various non-profit projects before, being one of the founding "trio" of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, along with Jan Scruggs and John P. Wheeler III.
Chaired by George P. Levendis,[11] the committee served as a source of information and advice for Czech and Slovak organizations and professionals dealing with various aspects of often fundamental legal reforms taking place in both republics.
Chaired by Countess Alice M. Tarnowski,[12] committee members arranged for or helped to organize numerous cultural events, including concerts of chamber music, often at or in cooperation with the Czechoslovak Embassy and its Cultural Attaché.
Under its Editor-in-Chief, Cari Votava[13] and then Julie Mazur,[14] the monthly newsletter became a valuable source of information on bilateral U.S-Czechoslovak agenda to those in the private or public sector, individuals and institutions interested in the development and expansion of cooperation. The ACS News Editor-in-Chief and her team interviewed key players in the bilateral agenda, including national leaders and officials.
In October, 1995, in recognition of Mr. Vanik's life-long achievements in assistance to democracy, and upon nomination by the ACSA President, Robert Miller, the president of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel, awarded Charles Vanik with one of the highest Czech honors, the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1st Class.[15] The act took place at the Vladislav Hall at the Prague Castle, at a traditional gala-ceremony celebrating Czechoslovak Independence Day.[16]
The Hon. Paul Simon, U.S. Senator (D-IL), represented Illinois – a state with large Central and Eastern European communities. He was substantially involved in the post-Cold War Congressional legislative activities which were important in helping to fill the power vacuum caused by the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The ambassadors of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, and later on the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, respectively, served as ACS/ACSA Honorary Patrons.
The majority of ACSA Honorary Members were members of the first official governmental delegation of Czechoslovakia who visited the United States shortly after the Velvet Revolution, in February, 1990. Honorary membership was bestowed upon them in recognition of their respective roles during the critical period of the transition in establishing the new government and market economy.
Starting in 1991, the ACS established the annual ACS (ACSA) Merit Awards given to individuals or organizations in the U.S. or the Czech Republic and Slovakia. in recognition of significant contribution to bilateral relations and cooperation.
Web site: Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, Inc.. www.svu2000.org.