Caption
A man walks near the headquarters of the Russian Central Bank in Moscow on February 13, 2026. (Getty Images)
Caption
People gather on November 17, 2019, in Bratislava, Slovakia, as part of the commemorations of the peaceful Velvet Revolution that toppled the Communist regime in former Czechoslovakia 30 years ago. (Vladimir Simicek/AFP via Getty Images)
Hudson Institute will cohost the twenty-fifth Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture in partnership with American Friends of the Czech Republic (AFOCR), the Embassy of the Czech Republic, Friends of Slovakia, and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic. Senator Miroslav Barta and Colonel Otakar Foltyn will discuss the future of energy, change, innovation, and democracy in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture was established in 2000 and is intended to commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 Velvet Revolution. Additional information about the previous 24 lectures can be accessed on AFOCR’s website.
Related Events
16
July 2026
Past Event
The Western Balkans: A View from Vienna with Austrian Minister for Europe, Integration, and Family Claudia Bauer
Featured Speakers:
Peter Rough
Claudia Bauer
16
July 2026
Past Event
The Western Balkans: A View from Vienna with Austrian Minister for Europe, Integration, and Family Claudia Bauer
Join Senior Fellow Peter Rough as he welcomes Claudia Bauer, minister for Europe in the Federal Chancellery of Austria, for a policy address followed by a fireside chat on how Austria sees EU enlargement in the Western Balkans.
Featured Speakers:
Peter Rough
Claudia Bauer
20
July 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Takeaways from Ankara: Debriefing the 2026 NATO Summit with Representative Mike Turner
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Mike Turner
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
20
July 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Takeaways from Ankara: Debriefing the 2026 NATO Summit with Representative Mike Turner
Please join Senior Fellow Dr. Rebeccah Heinrichs and Representative Mike Turner (R-OH) to discuss the summit following his return from Ankara, where he served as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation.
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Mike Turner
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
21
July 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The US-Israel Economic Partnership: A Farewell Conversation with Minister Noach Hacker
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Noach Hacker
21
July 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The US-Israel Economic Partnership: A Farewell Conversation with Minister Noach Hacker
As the region enters a new strategic phase, Hudson is honored to host Minister Hacker for what promises to be a candid farewell discussion.
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Noach Hacker
22
July 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Featured Speakers:
Ken Moriyasu
Congressman Jimmy Panetta
22
July 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Please join Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Senior Fellow Ken Moriyasu for a discussion on Central Asia’s economic and strategic significance and why updating US trade policy is key to unlocking the region’s potential in an era of renewed great power competition.
Featured Speakers:
Ken Moriyasu
Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Related Research
Caption
US-made F-35 aircraft of the Polish Air Force on the tarmac at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Lask, Poland, on June 12, 2026. Getty Images)
Caption
UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohamed Bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei arrives at Esenboga Airport ahead of the 36th NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye, on July 7, 2026. (Getty Images)
Caption
(Screenshot via YouTube)
