Slovakian Registration
In cooperation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Wallace Toronto Foundation provided substantial administrative and financial support to the Church’s effort to gain official recognition in Slovakia. Nearly 30 returned missionaries volunteered through the foundation to travel to Slovakia in Fall 2006 and volunteer in support of the project. The foundation also raised nearly $20,000 in support of the effort.
Referred to by many as the “Slovakian Miracle”, on September 4, 2006, missionaries and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began to petition and gather the required 20,000 signatures from Slovak citizens. After 4 days of effort, almost 25,000 signatures had been gathered – a task that was anticipated to last up to 6 weeks.
Click here to view a news clip about the registration drive that aired on Slovak Television!
Click here to read a press release about the registration drive published in LDS Church News!
Click here to view a clip from the April 2007 edition of The World Report on the Slovakian Registration Drive on LDS.org. Once there, make sure to click on “The World Report” video.
Below is a letter from Jonathon Tichy – Wallace Toronto Foundation Board Member and Honorary Consul to the Czech Republic in Salt Lake City, who organized and lead the effort to obtain government recognition for the LDS Church in Slovakia.
Dear Friends:
Over a year ago I was asked by the Church to organize and spearhead an effort to obtain government recognition for the Church in Slovakia. This past September, we implemented a bold effort involving over 100 current missionaries, local members, and returned missionaries from the Czech Prague Mission to gather the signatures of 20,000 Slovakian citizens supporting the registration of the Church.
As you are probably aware, the kind-hearted people of Slovakia rallied to our cause in the spirit of Christian solidarity, and that effort was successful. And on October 18, 2006, I accompanied Elder David Bednar of the Quorum to the Twelve Apostles to a meeting with high-level Slovakian government officials where the announcement granting recognition to the Church was made. Earlier that day, we met with the U.S. Ambassador serving in Slovakia. I mention this, because in both of those meetings, the contribution of the Toronto Foundation was expressly acknowledged and commended for the singular part it played in the success of this project.
The Toronto Foundation provided not only significant administrative and logistical support, coordinating literally hundreds of hours of volunteer service by dozens of volunteers, including nearly 30 returned missionary volunteers who traveled to Slovakia to assist in the effort, but it also provided over $15,000.00 in financial support that paid for such things as travel, lodging, and other expenses for missionaries, local members, and other project volunteers. In one instance, there were a number of college-age young adult Church members from the Czech Republic who learned about the registration effort at a Church-sponsored activity and wanted to travel to Slovakia together to assist in this historic project. Most were holding down summer jobs in order to save money for the upcoming school year. The Toronto Foundation, however, was able to step in and provide them temporary work supporting the effort in Slovakia.
As the Executive Director of the Slovakia Registration Project, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to those of you who have supported the Toronto Foundation over the years. I do not hesitate to say that the support of the Toronto Foundation contributed significantly to the outcome of that effort in partnership with the Church Legal Department, the Area Presidency, and the Czech Prague Mission.
In addition to the acknowledgement of Elder Bednar, the Toronto Foundation was also specifically highlighted as a trusted and positive example by several other members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Europe Central Area Presidency, and several current and former mission presidents, all who specifically expressed thanks for the Foundation’s support of the project in Slovakia.
In the end, however, the Toronto Foundation is nothing more or less than you, its loyal supporters. Please consider making a generous contribution to this wonderful organization that, in so many ways, is truly building meaningful bridges to the Czech and Slovak people.
Sincerely,
Jonathon T. Tichy