Events: June 2014
May 2014
July 2014
Zbyněk Benýšek: The Waiting room Triptych & new paintings
06/05/14 – 01/06/14 Exhibitions
Opening of exhibition of works by Zbyněk Benýšek. Introduction by Vratislav Brabenec. More
Debate with Respekt – politics and the media
June 2, 2014, 19:00
How did Andrej Babiš and other new owners changed the Czech media? Media outlets in the Czech Republic are returning to Czech hands. However, along with their political ambitions the new owners are bringing strong fears of loss of independence. Guests: Sabina Slonková (MF Dnes) and Jindřich Šídlo (Hospodářské noviny). Respekt editor Tomáš Sacher will chair the debate.
Olaf Hanel: About and around and otherwise
03/06/14 – 28/06/14 Exhibitions
Opening of exhibition of work by Olaf Hanel. Music: Šporkovo trio – Antonín Rejcha, Trio B major for two horns and bassoon, Zuzana Bandúrová, flute: Marián Zavarský, Talking to the Silver God THE EXHIBITION RUNS UNTIL 28.6.2014. More
The Most Initiative
June 4, 2014, 19:00
This loose continuation of a year-round series on the activities of civic groups in the ground-breaking year of 1989 focuses on iniciativa MOST (the MOST Initiative). Lucie Vopálenská will host a debate with Michal Horáček and Michael Kocáb.
Tibetan exile wants to defend the interests of all Tibetans
June 4, 2014, 17:30
Přijďte pohovořit se zástupci tibetského exilového parlamentu o jejich pracovních cílech, problémech a zkušenostech. Zúčastní se členové shromáždění Tibetských lidových zástupců: Khenpo Lopon Sonam Tenphel, Taglung Tsang Karma Chopel, Dawa Phunkyi, Sonam Gyatso. More
From the Balkans to the Baltic
June 5, 2014, 19:00
Across countries full of divisions and peculiarities with poets linked by the word: Dejan Matić / Željko Perović / Ivo Stropnik / Zoran Pevec / Ivan Dobnik / Genowefa Jakubowska-Fijałkowska / Małgorzata Lebda / Maciej Melecki. Presentation of Franciszk Nastulczyk’s collection Průvodce slepého psa (Blind Dog’s Guide) (Protimluv, Ostrava 2014). Vlaďka Kužílková will recite poems in the Czech translation. The evening will be hosted by Lenka Kuhar Daňhelová and Peter Kuhar.
Civic Society and Human Rights in Eastern Central Europe
June 9, 2014, 19:00
The German language publication Bürgerliche Gesellschaft und Menschenrechte im östlichen Mitteleuropa, jointly produced by the Faculty of Arts at Charles University and Munich’s Collegium Carolina, focuses on subjects that are key to the philosophy of Václav Havel. Some 14 writers from the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and Poland have contributed to it and most will take part in this presentation of the book. More
The European elections: what do they mean for the Czech Republic?
June 10, 2014, 19:00
A debate aimed at helping answer the following questions: What do the May elections to the European Parliament actually mean? What can the 21 new Czech MEPs achieve? How should the Czech government act in European politics in future? More
Ceremonial unveiling of Havel’s Place in České Budějovice
June 11, 2014, 11:00 Participation on local events
After Washington, Dublin, Barcelona and Prague, a Havel’s Place is now set to stand in České Budějovice. Bořek Šípek’s piece takes the form of two chairs by a table with a Linden tree growing through it, symbolising the democratic dialogue that was essential to Václav Havel.
Do we risk a new Cold War?
June 11, 2014, 19:00
Talks in English – Petr Kolář and Václav Havel The third in a short series of talks in English with colleagues and friends of Václav Havel. Petr Kolář has held a number of positions in the Czech Foreign Service, including Head of Department, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, advisor to President Václav Havel for European integration and the Balkans, and Ambassador to Sweden (1996–1998), Ireland (1999–2003), the US (2005–2010) and the Russian Federation (2010–2012). With this broad experience, he will talk about recent developments in international relations, including the risk of a new “Cold War”. Chaired by writer and journalist David Vaughan. More
Reflections on the pre-1989 period in literature
June 12, 2014, 19:00
A discussion involving authors from Central European countries linked by a similar historical experience: Mirka Ábelová (Slovakia), Peter Kocsis (Hungary), Franciszek Nastulczyk (Poland), Max Ščur (Belarus). Chaired by Jáchym Topol. More
The Past in Us
June 13, 2014, 15:00 Conferences
The conference “The Past in Us”, examining the portrayal of the past in the literature of Central European countries, will be attended by writers, critics, journalists and publishers including Mirka Ábelová, Petr Borkovec, Miloš Doležal, Adam Drda, Jaroslav Formánek, Petra Hůlová, Bohdan Chlíbec, Peter Kocsis, Robert Krumphanzl, Monika Stehlíková, Max Ščur, Stanislav Škoda, Viktor Šlajchrt, Ondřej Štindl, Jan Šulc, Jáchym Topol, Czech Studies students and others. More
Night with Václav Havel and Bohdan Holomíček
14/06/14 – 15/06/14
Audio recordings of Havel’s plays Audience, Largo Desolato and Redevelopment, or Slum Clearance will be played, while Havel’s court photographer Bohdan Holomíček will project pictures from his personal photographic records, some featuring VH, some not. Music: Noční optika. Held as part of the Prague Museum night project.
History of the Czech cultural and intellectual exile in North America
June 14, 2014, 09:30 Conferences
The second annual conference of notable intellectuals in various fields of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. The event is organized as a part of the Czech-American scholarly society The Comenius Academic Club [CAC]. More information Program Comenius 2014 (a collective monography) More
Oldřich Škácha 1941–2014
June 16, 2014, 19:00
Marie Fantyšová and Jiřího Stránský will recall Oldřich Škácha at a memorial event at which others are also welcome to join in. The photographer’s pictures of well-known figures and events from recent Czechoslovak and Czech history will serve as a loose guide to the evening and inspire the conversation.
David Svoboda: The Ukrainian Insurgent Army – Ukrainian Nationalism During WW II and its Echoes Today
June 17, 2014, 19:00
Series of lectures by historian David Svoboda (Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes) on the subject of Ukraine’s 20th century disputes and tragic milestones. More
Jan Grossman: between literature and theatre
June 18, 2014, 19:00
An evening dedicated to the publication of collected writings by Jan Grossman (1925–1993), one of the most distinctive figures in Czech culture in the second half of the 20th century, in the areas of literary criticism, theatre studies, aesthetics and journalism. His productions of works by Havel, Hašek, Kafka and Jarry have entered the annals of world drama. Speakers will include Marie Málková-Grossmanová, Marta Ljubková, Jiří Pelán and Petr Šrámek, editor of the two-volume edition Mezi literaturou a divadlem (Between Literature and Theatre) (Torst). Jan Šulc will host.
All roads lead to Beijing
June 19, 2014, 19:00
Human rights: Is the Czech Republic capable of combining doing business with China and solidarity with Tibet? Or will it have to choose? Guests: Petr Drulák (First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs), Radek Špicar (vice president of the Confederation of Industry, director of the Aspen Institute), Jan Macháček (journalist) and Martin Bursík (leader of Liberal ecological party). Journalist Kateřina Šafaříková will chair the debate.
Czech visions of Europe?
June 26, 2014, 19:00
The project of European integration is undergoing a crisis which is at the same time a new opportunity. In connection with the 10th anniversary of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU, the Academia publishing house has issued the book České vize Evropy? Manuál k naší evropské debatě (Czech visions of Europe? A Manual to a European Debate in the CR), raising a series of thought provoking questions that remain topical even after the recent European elections. Among those set to critically discuss European affairs are Jacques Rupnik, Roman Joch and editor Petr Hlaváček, representing the team behind the book; they will be joined by journalist Kateřina Šafaříková and Jan Michal, head of the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic. Jan Macháček will chair the debate.