The CzeCh repuBliC, like other
countries around the world, has embassies and
consulates to help its people and to promote
culture, trade, and diplomatic relationships.
Embassies and consulates are very different.
An embassy represents the home country abroad
in the handling of major diplomatic issues. The
ambassador to the United States is a government
employee, and has a permanent office in
Washington D.C. The Czech Republic has
embassies in capital cities in countries around
the world.
A consulate general is the official office of
the government in big cities within a country.
Consulates work on trade, commerce, and
cultural relationships, issue visas, and take care
of tourists, migrants, and expatriates. A consul
general heads a consulate general and is a
government employee.
Smaller countries such as the Czech
Republic cannot afford consulate generals in
every major city. Dignitaries, who may be U.S.
citizens and are well connected in business
and society, run offices called honorary general
consulates, report to the consulate general, and
do so without being paid a salary.
We caught up with Richard Pivnicka,
honorary consul general for the Honorary
Consulate General of the Czech Republic, in San
Francisco to ask a few questions.
whaT do You do?
I network, make introductions, help Czech citizens,
encourage business and trade, and promote
cultural exchange with the Czech Republic and
California.
whaT are some eXamples?
We foster technology exchange through
organizations like Czech-Tech, a technology
network of Czech and American executives. We
encourage Czech firms in commerce. One example
is a Czech company contracted with the San
Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to
provide over 300 electric trolley coaches. We also
brought the Czech Film Festival to San Francisco.
And, we support a new local
Czech language school that is
now the largest Czech school
outside of the Czech Republic.
whaT’s iT like To
Be The honorarY
Consul general?
It’s one of the most rewarding,
non-stop endeavors because
I help share the creativity,
talents, beauty, and ingenuity of
the Czech Republic people with
the Greater San Francisco Bay
Area and California.
IT’S AN
h o n
12
A piece of the Czech Republic
in San Francisco — a Czech
company supplied the city with
more than 300 trolley coaches.
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13
n o r By Colette Weil Parrinello
Honorary Consulate
General of the Czech
Republic Richard
Pivnicka (left) helps
foster trade and cultural
relationships between
the Czech Republic and
the United States.
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