Full Details

Thursday, May 31

The Historical Background of The Pittsburgh Agreement of 1918
Time:
1:30 pm
Location:
4130 Posvar Hall
Sponsored by:
Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies along with American Friends of the Czech Republic; Friends of Slovakia

The signing of the Pittsburgh Agreement on May 31, 1918, was a milestone leading to the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state after World War I. The catalyst for the event was the visit to Pittsburgh of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937), who led the Slovak and Czech independence movement and later became the first President of Czechoslovakia. By the agreement, Czechs and Slovaks in the United States, acting on behalf of their compatriots in Europe, sanctioned the endeavor to bring about a union of the Czechs and Slovaks in an independent state.

Panelists discussing the historical setting of the Pittsburgh Agreement will be:
• Dr. Hugh Agnew - Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington
• Dr. Matej Hanula - Institute of History of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava
• Dr. Milada Polišenská - Anglo-American University, Prague

Admission free and open to the public