Masaryk University Awards Honorary Doctorate to Former Diplomat Vasaryova

Brno, October 17 (TASR) - Masaryk University (MUNI) in Brno on Thursday awarded an honorary doctorate to former Slovak politician and diplomat Magdalena Vasaryova, calling her a leading personality of former Czechoslovakia and Slovakia in the field of international relations and diplomacy, TASR has learnt from MUNI spokesman Radim Sajbot. In awarding Vasaryova the honorary scientific degree of doctor honoris causa, the university highlighted her efforts for the development of democracy and free societies in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the whole of Central Europe. "Vasaryova has undertaken many activities aimed at the development of civil society, respect for and strengthening of democratic principles, promotion of equal opportunities for women and the fight against corruption," MUNI noted, adding that Vasaryova speaks out in defence of democracy and against efforts to restrict civil liberties and threaten or limit the independence of state institutions. Another reason for her award is Vasaryova's long-standing education of young people in the field of diplomacy and international relations, added the university. From the age of fifteen Vasaryova dedicated herself to acting, engaging in politics only after after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. In 1990 she became Czechoslovak ambassador in Vienna. In 1999, she was the first woman to run for president of Slovakia. From 1993 to 2000 she was the head of the Slovak Society for Foreign Policy (SFPA), later she became Slovak ambassador to Poland and then served as a state secretary at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. From 2006, she was an MP for the SDKU-DS party for ten years. zel/mcs