MANILA, Philippines — The Czech Republic celebrates its National Day today. A landlocked country in Central Europe, it is bordered to the northeast by Poland, to the east by Slovakia, to the south by Austria, and to the west and northwest by Germany.

Formerly merged as Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia emerged as independent republics on January 1, 1993. The Czech Republic has a very high human development index among Central and Eastern European countries. The country is also considered as the third most peaceful country in Europe.

Bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and the Philippines have been warm and friendly. There were two major cultural Czech projects in Manila for 2011. These are Guhit CESko, an art competition for children ages 10-14; and Sining CESko, a similar art competition specifically created for college and university students ages 16-21. These projects showcase the talent of the Filipino youth in the field of visual arts under the theme “The Czech Republic through My Eyes.”

We congratulate the government and people of the Czech Republic led by Their Excellencies, President Vaclav Klaus and Prime Minister Petr Necas, and its Embassy in the Philippines headed by H.E., Ambassador Josef Rychtar, on the occasion of its National Day. We wish them all the best and success in all their endeavors.