Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear guests,

welcome all of you to the Prague Castle at this traditional meeting on the occasion of the Czech National Day. I would also like to extend my special welcome to all of those who have taken up your new offices just recently. Once again, I wish you all the best.

For Czechia, this year is rather symbolic. We celebrate 20 years in the EU, 25 years in NATO, 35 years since our Velvet Revolution. And this year was also a year of summer Olympic and Paralympic games. I would like to congratulate France on this very special occasion and a beautiful organisation.

A few days ago, I had the opportunity and pleasure to welcome Czech athletes here at the Prague Castle. Sport and diplomacy have much in common. Like athletes, each of you represent your country. Like Olympians, you strive to represent your nation at the best possible way. Olympic Games symbolize, among other things, a period of truce. Similarly, diplomacy seeks peaceful resolutions of conflicts among nations. This also means respecting the rules we have collectively agreed upon; be it the rules of sport competitions and international law. I reiterate that Czechia stands firmly on the side of those who defend these rules, and we are committed to upholding them.

I have been repeatedly calling upon other countries to support specific initiatives condemning violations of rules – such as the joint Declaration from the Peace Summit on Ukraine that took place earlier this year in Switzerland.

Without rules, chaos prevails. In this respect, history speaks loud and clear. Turning a blind eye into a single instance of such a violation backfires badly. If we are indifferent to what happens to the others, others will be indifferent to what happens to us.

Unfortunately, not much has improved on the international scene since last year, when we first gathered here to celebrate the founding of independent Czechoslovakia. Russia continues its cynical aggression against Ukraine. The conflicts in the Middle East or Sudan threaten to deepen and spread. Order and rules in the Indo-Pacific region are continuously being challenged. Last month, at the UN Security Council, I invited China to take on a constructive, peace-making role instead of fuelling the war Russia wages against Ukraine and its people. Let me repeat this message here as well: Countries that aspire to be global players carry a huge responsibility for global peace and security.

To be honest, democracy is under threat also in our own backyard. I worry too many politicians promote the idea of governing without the oversight of independent media, judges or diverse civil society.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Your work is about fostering good relations between countries and solving problems and conflicts through reasonable means. Like athletes, we should commit ourselves to continuously improving our skills and pushing the boundaries of what humanity can achieve. To advance as a global community, we should focus on cooperation in areas such as trade, research, technology or culture, rather than be hindered by polarization and disputes.

My visit to the Paralympic Games in Paris convinced me that great things can be achieved even without ideal prerequisites. The stories and spirit of the athletes show that sometimes all it is necessary is determination.

Czechia may not be the largest country, but we work hard to make us an active and trustworthy partner. We will continue to pursue a strong and resilient Europe – one that plays a significant role in global security and remains a credible and reliable transatlantic partner. We are committed to contributing to security and stability not only in Europe but also in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other regions. And we will continue strengthening partnerships with all democracies around the world.

Your Excellencies,

I thank you for your efforts in strengthening relations between your countries and Czechia. I will continue working with you. Thank you all once again for being with us here today and I would like to invite you to join me also on Monday when we will celebrate our national holiday and take decorations ceremony at the Prague Castle. 

Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, Prague castle, 25th October 2024