The Annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture

Hudson Institute is pleased to host the next iteration of the Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture, a longstanding forum for examining the challenges facing freedom and democratic security in Europe. Established in 2000 as a joint initiative of the American Friends of the Czech Republic and Friends of Slovakia to commemorate the Velvet Revolution, the lecture alternates between Czech and Slovak speakers and topics.
This October, Hudson welcomes Karel Řehka, former chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, to discuss the changing security environment in Europe and its implications for the Czech Republic, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the transatlantic alliance.
General Řehka will examine how the Czech Republic and its allies should respond to the European evolving threat environment. He will discuss the readiness and modernization of the Czech Armed Forces, the role of a strong and resilient defense industrial base, lessons from the war in Ukraine, and the steps NATO allies can take to strengthen deterrence, resilience, and collective defense.