Czech ambassador to speak at Club President Andrea Edney’s inauguration, Feb. 10

Hynek Kmoníček, the Czech Republic ambassador to the United States, will speak at the inauguration of National Press Club President Andrea Edney on Feb. 10.

Edney, the 111th Club president, moved to the Czech Republic at age of 17 to study the language and then attended Karlova Univerzita, one of the world’s oldest universities. She began working as a reporter in Prague at the age of 19 and ultimately joined the Bloomberg News Prague bureau. She lived in the country for six years before moving to Slovakia.

Before his appointment, Ambassador Kmoníček was the director of the Foreign Affairs Department in the Office of the President of the Czech Republic.

The Inaugural Gala will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. with the after-party in the Holeman Lounge. Valet parking will be available for attendees.

The event is sold out. Contact Laura Coker ([email protected] or 202-662-7581) to be put on a wait list.

Another inaugural speaker is Floyd Abrams, a prominent First Amendment advocate best known for successfully defending The New York Times from the Nixon administration’s attempt to block the printing of "The Pentagon Papers." He also represented the Brooklyn Museum of Art when then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani tried to deny city support due to an exhibition he called “sacrilegious.”

Rounding out the evening is the 19-person big band Swing Machine made up of former members of the Air Force Airmen of Note, Army Blues, Navy Commodores and the Glenn Miller Orchestra, as well as a Grammy-nominated vocalist.