LINCOLN, NE – This weekend, Governor Jim Pillen will conclude the first leg of his trade mission to Central Europe, holding his final meetings in the Czech Republic before continuing to Germany.

Gov. Pillen and members of the state delegation arrived in the Czech Republic on Nov. 7, where they were welcomed with an evening reception at the residence of U.S. Ambassador Bijan Sabet.

Friday was a full day of meetings, beginning with a briefing at the U.S. embassy in Prague. Gov. Pillen and leaders of the Nebraska National Guard (NENG) then met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the state’s military partnership with the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.

“The Nebraska National Guard has partnered with the Czech Armed Forces for thirty years,” said Colonel John D. Williams, NENG’s Director of Joint Staff. “The Czech Republic is easily one of our strongest allies. They were with us immediately after 9/11 and have proven themselves time and again to be resourceful, competent soldiers and airmen. This year, we will do approximately 27 engagements with the Czech military, ranging from mission planning to cybersecurity. We are committed to strengthening our partnership and building interoperability between our forces.”

Gov. Pillen and state ag leaders also participated in a roundtable with the Czech Ministry of Agriculture. During the meeting, the Czech Ministry of Agriculture signed a letter of intent to collaborate with the State of Nebraska on veterinary measures, livestock production, and scientific research exchange.

“Czechs see the world similarly as we do in Nebraska; we're both very pragmatic, straightforward people,” said Gov. Pillen. “Our conversations here have been about creating partnerships, asking ‘how can we make each other better?’ Absolutely nobody can outcompete Nebraska. The thing we have to do is build relationships all over the world to open markets to our ag products and manufactured goods.”

The state delegation will wrap up its time in Czechia with a reception of Czech alumni who have studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). UNL began offering Czech language instruction in 1907, becoming one of the first U.S. universities to do so. UNL continues to offer a Czech Studies minor and has collaborative partnerships with Czech universities. The reception will be an opportunity to explore additional educational and cultural exchange opportunities.

On Sunday, the second leg of the trade mission will begin in Germany. While there, Gov. Pillen and state leaders will promote Nebraska ag products, equipment, and technologies. The delegation will also take part in EuroTier, the largest international trade show for animal agriculture.