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On Thursday April 19, the Primary schools in Jasov, a picturesque village in eastern Slovakia, held an Academy to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the weekly The Canadian Slovak. Now its office is in Toronto for many years and its editor is Julius Behul who came to Canada more than forty years ago. This weekly, thanks to the Canadian Slovak League (CSL) is the only weekly Slovak newspaper in North America that can boast that it publishes continuously since its birth.

The Canadian Slovaks operates in very humble circumstances, connecting our communities in the northern and southern America with the country of their ancestors - Slovakia. Therefore, the teachers and students in Jasov have chosen to pay a tribute to all those who stood for decades with this weekly, and which has continuous popularity among the Slovak communities throughout the world. The entire Academy about the history of this famous weekly was prepared the Principal of the Primary school in Jasov, PaedDr. Elizabeth Mačatová and Eng. František Mrva, who is for almost ten years an external correspondent for the weekly.

Mr. Mrva presented the keynote address to the crowded auditorium. It was followed by a narrative of the history and current situation of KS, presented by students from higher grades.

The narrative mentioned, among other things, that the first issue of KS was dated March 5, 1942 in the middle of the Second World War. The newspaper was established by a resolution of the Fifth Congress of the CSL, which took place from 8 - 10 September 1941 in Toronto Ontario. The Congress has decided that the newspaper will be based in Montreal and Štefan Hreha became its first Editor.

The main objective of Kanadský Slovák is to serve not only the organizational needs of the CSL, but equally to the interests of all Canadian Slovaks, in an Christian ecumenical spirit, national pride and fellowship among Slovaks.

What to wish this great weekly and its enthusiastic staff who make this newspaper with big heart, many times without any financial reward? Just to withstand this difficult period, wich currently holds down the whole world. And that in its full glory to acquaint the Slovaks social and cultural events both here in Slovakia, but especially throughout the Slovak world.


Photo - Students with School Principal PaeDr. Elizabeth Mačatová and teachers of Primary school in Jasov, Slovakia on April 19, 2012

F. M.