Home | First lady | Activities of Silvia Gašparovičová | Year 2009 | President Ivan Gašparovič with his wife in Austria
20th Velvet Revolution anniversary recalled the slovak President Ivan Gašparovič with his wife in nearby Vienna by a celebration concert on 16th November 2009. The event also attended the Austrian presidential couple Heinz Fischer and his wife. The concert was held under the auspices of both presidents. In the concert hall of the Music Society – Musikverein – was the 9th Symphony in D mol, Op. 125 by Ludwig van Beethoven played in the presentation by the Orchestra of Bruno Walter and Slovak’s leading artists. "I am very pleased that we are today in Vienna with Mr. Fischer, his wife and my wife. We could do a little flashback to the rear. 20 years ago, it was the Austrians who helped Slovaks to get the sense of a new life. A democratic one, not only from the political standpoint, but also in economic aid," said shortly after the concert Ivan Gašparovič.
Austrian President Heinz Fischer praised the cooperation between the Slovakia and Austria – not only in economic but also in policy or culture. As Heinz Fischer said, "this concert is a symbol of cultural cooperation in the historic occasion, which I regard as very important. I think that Austria had plenty of opportunities to help at changes. Events 20 years ago I saw as very important and they were a dramatic change to Europe and caused the fall of borders in Europe."
The concert was the culmination of various activities and events on the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. The austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs has prepared on this occasion a series of events entitled "1989-2009: a breakthrough into a new Europe." |
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