April 30 – May 1, 2026
2026 Economic Summit
April 30 @ 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Shaping Opportunities for Our Collective Future
A unique international partnership forum for delegations from the United States, Czech Republic and Slovakia, building on the consequences of modern history while focusing on the present-day economic opportunities, organized by The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) and co-organized/supported by NCSML partners that include: Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, DC, Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington, DC, Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, American Friends of the Czech Republic, Washington, DC, Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa, Vaclav Havel Program for Human Rights and Democracy at Florida International University in Miami, Czech North American Chamber of Commerce & Culture in Atlanta, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago, et al.
Held at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Preliminary Program
April 30, 2026, 4pm-7pm
- Registration – Rozek Grand Hall, 4pm-5pm
- Exhibit Ribbon Cutting with a Keynote Address (Women’s Painting Manuscript of Kovačica Naïve Painting: From Needle and Thread to UNESCO), Rozek Grand Hall, 5pm – 6pm
- Pre-Event Networking, Rozek Grand Hall, 6pm-7pm
May 1, 2026, 10am-5pm
3rd Annual Economic Summit
Shaping Opportunities for Our Collective Future
WFLA/ZCBJ Heritage Hall
- Registration, Rozek Grand Hall, 9-10 am
- US & International Panels, 10 am
- Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, DC
- Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington, DC
- City of Cedar Rapids
- Investment and Business Development Agency CzechInvest, New York
- Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), New York
- Czech North American Chamber of Commerce & Culture in Atlanta
- Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
- CzechTrade (Government Trade Promotion Agency of the Czech Republic), Chicago
- Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago, et al.
- Orloj Angels Dedication and Unveiling, 1 pm
- Buresh Immigration Clock Tower
- Lunch served by Peppercorn Food Company
- Rozek Grand Hall, 1.15 pm
- US & International Panels & B2B Meetings, 2.15 – 4.30 pm
- Conclusions
- Concurrent Public Concert, 7pm (Additional Registration Required)
- WFLA/ZCBJ Heritage Hall
NCSML Concurrent Events (Additional Registration Required)
Four Tenors Concert
May 1, 7.30 pm Rozek Grand Hall
John Mica Special Book Collection Opening (Free to the Public)
Exhibit Ribbon Cutting with a Keynote Address
May 2 at 11am, Skala Bartizal Library
New Bohemia Walking Tour with Mark Stoffer Hunter
May 2, Beginning at Rozek Grand Hall
President’s Society Preciosa Gala
May 2, at 5.30 pm, Rozek Grand Hall & WFLA/ZCBJ Heritage Hall
NCSML Legacy Brunch
May 3, WFLA/ZCBJ Heritage Hall
NCSML Exhibits
Woodcut Mozart, Anderson Gallery
Women’s Painting Manuscript of Kovačica Naïve Painting: From Needle and Thread to UNESCO, Petrik Gallery
Legacy of Bohemia, Smith Gallery
NCSML Framed Certificates and Documents, Skala Bartizal Library
John Mica Special Book Collection, Skala Bartizal Library
Faces of Freedom, Permanent Exhibit
Sleger Family Immigrant Home, Permanent exhibit
The Economic Summit is co-organized and supported by the following NCSML partners:
Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, D.C.
Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington, D.C.
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa
Vaclav Havel Program for Human Rights and Democracy, Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, FIU, Miami
Czech North American Chamber of Commerce & Culture (CNACCC Inc.)
Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO)
American Friends of the Czech Republic, Washington, DC
