The Prague Society
The Prague Society for International Cooperation is a Prague-based non-governmental organization that originated in communist Central Europe, when political dissidents joined forces to oppose their respective governments, often with foreign covert support. Though several of its members were imprisoned during the communist era, the Prague Society officially became a registered NGO under President Václav Havel in 1997.
The Society creates and maintains a network of businessmen, diplomats, politicians and academics, who contribute to important policy issues, such as "to promote a global approach to business, politics and academia"; and to "develop a new generation of responsible, well-informed leaders and thinkers in Central Europe".[1]
The Prague Society works in conjunction with the Global Panel Foundation with which it hosts the Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award, given annually since the year 2000, to honour dedication to and achievement in public service[2] particularly in Central Europe. Due to its unorthodox methods, the Society has attracted and retained many international ties around the world.[3]
Activities
- On 28 January 2013: Global Panel and Prague Society supported a call for the impeachment of the President of the Czech Republic, Václav Klaus.
- 23 June 2010: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was a round table event with Yuri Schmidt as the honorary guest speaker.[4] Yuri Schmidt was the founder of the Committee of Russian Lawyers in Defense of Human Rights.[5]
- 14 February 2009: Round table and public policy dinner with U.S. General Wesley Clark, former supreme allied commander of Europe. General Clark pushed for NATO membership of Central European nations like Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic after the fall of the Iron Curtain. During the round table discussion topics such as "energy security, Middle East missile defense and other international issues," were discussed.[6]
- December 2004: Prague Society presents the Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award to former NATO Secretary Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, who donated the financial reward of 150000kc to David Hodan.[7]
Known members
6 of the 60 of the members already have pages here:
Member | Description |
---|---|
Yossef Bodansky | |
Caroline Cox | Maverick baroness in the British Parliament. |
Thomas Dine | Former executive director of AIPAC and former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
Marc Ellenbogen | Patron of the very intelligence-connected Henry Jackson Society and Chairman of the Global Panel Foundation |
F. W. de Klerk | last state president of apartheid-era South Africa. |
John Marks | Former state department official. |
References
- ↑ http://praguesociety.org/about/
- ↑ https://praguesociety.org/hanno-r-ellenbogen-citizenship-award/>
- ↑ Prague Society for International Cooperation. Web. 5 October 2010. <http://www.praguesociety.org>.
- ↑ Prague Society for International Cooperation. Web. 5 October 2010. <http://www.praguesociety.org>.
- ↑ http://www.spain.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=503&info_id=7688>
- ↑ Ellenbogen, Marc. "Wesley Clark's Touch." Space War Your World at War. Atlantic Eye, 25 February 2009. Web. 5 October 2010. <http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Atlantic_Eye_Wesley_Clarks_touch_999.html>.
- ↑ O'Connor, Colin. "Prague Society honours former NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson." Český Rozhlas, 9 December 2004 <http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/prague-society-honours-former-nato-secretary-general-lord-robertson>.