Press Advisories

5. 4. 2016 5:00

Prime Minister Sobotka meets Governor, filmmakers and SpaceX management in California

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka visited the company SpaceX, April 4, 2016.
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka visited the company SpaceX, April 4, 2016.
On Sunday 3 April and Monday 4 April 2016, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka stopped off in Los Angeles and San Francisco at the end of his five-day working trip to the United States. At a meeting with the Californian Governor, he voiced his backing of the Global Climate Leadership initiative. He also met representatives of the six largest film studios and took a tour of spaceflight company SpaceX. In addition, the Prime Minister visited the Museum of Tolerance, where he spoke to members of the Jewish community.

SpaceX

Prime Minister Sobotka’s talks with SpaceX executives centred on the tradition enjoyed by the aviation and space industries in the Czech Republic. “Our country can pride itself on its many years’ experience of sociomapping, a highly important method for the planning of longer stays in space, the results of which can be used, for example, in the training of pilots,” said the Prime Minister, noting that the pan-European Galileo project is headquartered in Prague. 

SpaceX’s aim is to devise technology that will slash the cost of commercial spaceflight. It has previously developed the rockets Falcon 1 and 9, as well as the Dragon spacecraft, which has transported supplies to the International Space Station six times.

Film studios

The Prime Minister met the management of NBCUniversal Studios and representatives of other major US film studios on Monday morning. During these talks, he highlighted the good reputation of the Czech film industry and the interest in teaming up with US film studios. ”The Czech Republic has plenty of attractive locations and specialists to offer in this sphere. Under our Government’s watch, the State Cinematography Fund’s funding earmarked for film incentives has gone up. A record USD 33 million is made available for these purposes every year,” stressed Prime Minister Sobotka.

Meeting with the Governor of California

Prime Minister Sobotka and the Governor of the State of California Edmund Gerald Brown discussed cooperation in the fields of advanced technology and innovative business, as well as opportunities for Czech companies to engage in energy and public transport development in California. In terms of the Czech Republic’s exports to the US, California is its fifth most important US state.

During the meeting, on behalf of the Czech Republic the Prime Minister endorsed the Global Climate Leadership initiative, under which regions and cities have made the commitment to cut CO2 emissions in a bit to prevent global warming from exceeding 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels, in keeping with the Paris agreement. In all, 127 regions and cities from 27 states and six continents have become involved in the initiative, in which California plays a central role. Besides the Czech Republic, the governments of countries such as Germany, the UK and Italy have put their weight behind the initiative, which chimes with the EU’s climate targets. 

California is highly active in tackling climate change because global warming already has a significant influence on the lives of its people and its economy. ”Californian projects geared to the efficient management of water resources, irrigation, energy savings and green energy are also an opportunity for Czech companies wielding extensive experience in these areas,” said Prime Minister Sobotka.

Museum of Tolerance

The Prime Minister also made his way to be Museum of Tolerance, where he applauded the fact that its representatives were striving to maintain social awareness of the victims of the Holocaust and, in particular, to make us learn lessons from this tragic chapter in history. The Prime Minister was taken round the museum by Rabbi Hier. He then lunched here with members of the Jewish community. ”The Czech Republic is very active in promoting studies and research on the Holocaust in the international arena. For example, the Czech Republic is home to the European Shoah Legacy Institute, which specialises in the restitution of Jewish property, care of Jewish cultural assets, and social welfare support for Holocaust survivors,” explained Prime Minister Sobotka.

The Prime Minister’s visit to California rounded off his third working trip to the United States.

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