The trip included:

Workshop at the Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU: A session with Elisabeth Szeli, MA, where was discussed the EU's role in managing international conflicts and its strategic involvement in Eurasia.

House of European History: We explored Europe's rich history and debated its future challenges and opportunities.

Prague House (Delegation of Prague to the EU): Engaging with representatives from Prague, organised by one of the students Lenka Kolářová Bernklauová (Representative of the City of Prague to the EU), provided the group with insights into urban policy and the city's activities in Brussels.

Vienna Liaison Office in Brussels (Vienna House): The head of Brussels Office of the City of Vienna, Michaela Kauer, gave the group an interesting lecture on the importance of social housing and the wider cooperation with other cities in Brussels. 

Royal Museum for Central Africa: This museum is a for knowledge and resources on Africa, in particular Central Africa, in an historical and global context. The museum exhibits unique collections. It is a place of memory on the colonial past and strives to be a dynamic platform for exchanges and dialogues. 

European Parliament: A discussion with MEP Andreas Schieder shed light on critical topics like climate change, democracy's future, and ongoing issues in Gaza.
 
Each step of this trip was a learning opportunity, preparing the students to become informed and effective contributors in the fields of international relations and urban policy. 



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 Educational Field Trip to Brussels: A Deep Dive into EU Dynamics

A Deep Dive into EU Dynamics

First Panel: Twenty Years of the Czech Republic in the EU
The year 2024 marks recognizable moments such as the European Parliament elections and the 20th anniversary of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU. Throughout the past two decades, Czech citizens and businesses have reaped numerous benefits rooted in the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people within the EU. This period has seen the implementation of myriad projects funded by European resources, offering the Czech Republic a direct role in European integration and influencing the direction of the EU. However, EU membership has also presented challenges, including a variety of policies, directives, and regulations that have not always been positively received by certain segments of the political spectrum and the public, thereby fuelling Euroscepticism sentiments. Brussels is often criticized for generating progressive and utopian policies, spanning from initiatives like the Green Deal to migration quotas, which have exacerbated these sentiments.

How has EU integration affected the Czech Republic? How has the West’s view of the Czech Republic changed? What challenges and opportunities have emerged as a result of this alliance? What is the potential future for the Czech Republic in the EU and how will its involvement with the EU progress?

 

Second Panel: A Quarter of a Century of the Czech Republic in NATO
In March, the Czech Republic will commemorate its 25th anniversary of joining NATO, the world’s leading military alliance. NATO Membership has gained critical importance, specifically after Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and statements by Putin’s regime stating that NATO’s borders should return to their pre-1997 form, a time when former Soviet satellites, including the Czech Republic,
were still outside the alliance. Over the last quarter century, our armed forces have undergone modernization, integrated into solid alliance structures, and ensured the collective defense of member countries from external threats. Following Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, NATO has reinforced its defense, along its eastern flank. Notably, Finland has since joined the alliance, and Sweden is to follow. The focus of NATO has shifted from expeditionary missions to prioritizing territorial defense.

How strong is the commitment to collective defense? Is the US interest in Europe, and consequently in NATO, at risk of diminishing? Has the Czech army succeeded in its modernization efforts over the past quarter of a century? Are we a reliable member of NATO? How will our position evolve in the next quarter century? Will we be able to fulfill our commitments?

 

PROGRAM:

19:15 – 20:00: First panel: Twenty Years of the Czech Republic in the EU

Martin Hlaváček, Member, European Parliament
Jacques Rupnik, Research professor, SciencesPo
Ivan Hodač, Founder, Chairman of the Supervisory Board & Honorary Board Chairman, Aspen Institute Central Europe
Moderator: Jan Macháček, Chairman of the Board, Institute for Politics and Society

20:00 – 20:45: Second panel: A Quarter of a Century of the Czech Republic in NATO

Jakub Landovský, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO
Jiří Šedivý, Chief Executive, European Defence Agency
Petr Luňák, Deputy Head, NATO Public Diplomacy Division
Moderator: Jan Macháček, Chairman of the Board, Institute for Politics and Society

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The Czech Republic’s journey: Two Decades in the EU and a Quarter Century in NATO

Dvě desetiletí v EU a čtvrtstoletí v NATO

Kateřina Tučková, Czech author, playwright, publicist, art historian and curator, was interviewed by Kristýna Prunerová during the evening. During a very interesting narration, the author explained her creative process and presented the stories of the books Gerta, The Last Goddess and also her last published White Water.

She has won several literary awards, including the Magnesia Litera Award and the Czech Bestseller Award. In 2017, she was awarded the Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights Award by the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes. She also has received the Premio Libro d’Europa at the Book Fair in Salerno, Italy. Her books have been translated into twenty languages.

The event was organized by the Representation of the South Moravian Region to the EU and the Czech Center in Brussels.


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Meeting with the writer Kateřina Tučková

Meeting with writer Kateřina Tučková

**Ensemble Émeraude:**

Aleš Ulrich – Violin

Urszula Padała-Sperber – Violin

Nina Poskin – Viola

Jean-Pierre Borboux – Violoncello

**Programme:**

Jan Křtitel Václav Kalivoda: Trois duos faciles et brillants, Op. 243/2 - IV. Allegro Moderato

Antonín Dvořák: Terzetto in C major for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 74 - II. Larghetto

Bohuslav Martinů: Etudes faciles à deux violons - 8. Poco andante

Erwin Schulhof: String Quartet No. 1 - III. Allegro giocoso alla slovacca

Bedřich Smetana: String Quartet No. 1, “From My Life”


**Aleš Ulrich**
Born in Šternberk (Czech Republic) to musician parents, Aleš Ulrich studied at the Pardubice Conservatory (with Dalibor Hlava), at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (with Katy Sebestyen) and at the Academy of Musical Arts in Prague (with Ivan Štraus). Winner of the Vieuxtemps Competition (Verviers, 1998) and the Beethoven Competition (Czech Republic, violin and string quartet, 2002 and 2003), he also took lessons with Thomas Riebl, Ervin Schiffer, Valentin Erben, Thomas Kakuska, Milan Škampa, Petr Messiereur, Walter Levin,
Ivan Moravec, David Harrington… As a chamber musician, he has performed in Europe, the United States and South Korea. He has made several recordings for Czech, Belgian and Dutch radio.

**Ensemble Émeraude**
It was in Liège in 2019 that two violinists Urszula Padala-Sperber and Aleš Ulrich, both musicians of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège, discovered their common passion for chamber music. Drawing on their experience in this field, they decided to create the Duo Émeraude and discover all the possibilities and riches of this small formation. In 2023, they came together with other friends and colleagues for a new project around Czech music. This is how the Ensemble Émeraude was born: an ensemble with variable geometry, extending from the initial two-violin duo to the string quartet or piano quintet. It thus
allows the exploration of a broader repertoire and often lesser-known works, written for less traditional formations such as the string trio, the trio for two violins and piano etc.
The goal of these accomplished musicians is to offer a vast palette of works sometimes neglected today, to get off the beaten track and seek out the original meaning of the practice of chamber music - by showing it in variety of its formations and in all its nuances and finesse.

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PH concert Series: From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields

Smetana

With more than 3500 participants from 59 countries and over 4000 live views worldwide, the 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities in Mons has been a great success! In many discussions, debates and workshops the participants called for a stronger voice of local and regional authorities at the centre of EU policies. Regions and cities must be heard when the next Strategic Agenda of the European Union, as well as the next political priorities of the European Commission, are being formulated. LRA representatives urged European leaders to do more to ensure that all EU policies are anchored in the local and regional level, thus reinforcing the democratic legitimacy and efficiency of these policies. The final Mons Declaration calls for:
•	Ambitious, fit-for-purpose public investment backed by an increased EU budget (exploring the introduction of new EU own resources), with cohesion as the basis of the European project.
•	Commitment to the European Green Deal as an overall direction of the EU. The EU empower local and regional authorities, including through direct funds for cities and regions, to help them respond to the impact of the climate crisis.
•	Greater involvement of local and regional authorities in the preparation of EU reforms and enlargement, particularly regarding the impact on policies such as Cohesion and the Common Agricultural Policy. 
Regions and cities have the power to deliver a stronger and more resilient Europe!


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10th European Summit of Regions and Cities - Mons 2024  

MONS

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗜𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹 

Czech Republic, Slovakia / 2023 / 80 min /dir. Štěpán Pech
Conceptual visual artist Ján Mančuška died in 2011. However, in his short 39 years of existence, he managed to create a number of remarkable works, many of which have been exhibited in renowned galleries around the world – including the Centre Pompidou in Paris and MoMA in New York. In his homeland, however, his work reflecting everyday life, social reality or the meaning of language has never achieved comparable fame. Together with the children of an artist who was not afraid to confront the public with the question of the meaning of art, the director embarks on a journey that aims not only to get closer to Mančuška, but also to reveal him in hitherto unrecognised shades, thus filling in the gaps that are increasingly appearing in the context of the fading memory of his personality.


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Echoes of Ji.hlava in Belgium

ji.hlava

"My Lovers" is a unique exhibition in the context of the presentation of works by Milan Knížák, primarily due to its monothematic nature. The selection of works is determined by the topic that the author has been working on since 2002 until today. Transgender is for Knížák an escape into a future we know nothing about. We can only speculate what happens to the man and woman at the beginning of the new millennium. Trans people, as the author calls his drawings, are actually an infinite number of possible and impossible genders. These automatic drawings, like coloring books, provoke with their simplicity and playfulness. In contrast to them are large-format paintings in which tenderness and lyrical form are inserted, which force the viewer to perceive eroticism, sex and perversion as something beautiful.

The author himself said about the exhibition: "Perhaps the future will surprise us with its forcefulness. Perhaps we are not too bold in our ideas."

Curator: Vilém Kabzan

The exhibition will last until April 10, 2024. Please book your visit at: praguehouse@praha.eu.



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Opening ceremony of the exhibition "Milan Knížák: My Lovers"

Moji milenkove

At the outset, participants received an introduction to the spectral remote sensing and its functionalities. It entails measuring the properties of objects without a direct physical contact and it is tied to the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes light invisible to the human eye. Different objects thus reflect, absorb and transmit light based on their chemical composition and structural attributes. For instance, the plant leaves are green, because they reflect more green light than blue or red.

In the first part of the discussion, participants were introduced to project in which Charles University is involved. These initiatives focus on biodiversity mapping through drone technology within the Krkonoše National Park. Additionally, a collaborative project between Charles University and TRL Space in Maldives was showcased.  The primary objective of this project is to comprehend and forecast adverse processes affecting the coral islands of Goidhoo and Fulhadhoo. Through 13 flights employing hyperspectral cameras and drones, crucial data was gathered to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the islands and protect their natural heritage.

The discussion then delved into the challenge of attracting and retaining professionals within the space sector in the context of labor shortages. Charles University highlighted the difficulty in retaining PhD students, as many are drawn to higher-paying positions in the private sector during their studies. Of great help in this area are international projects that can provide attractive job opportunities. From the perspective of the private sector, it was mentioned that TRL Space participated in the creation of the first space study program called Space Applications at the Technical University in Brno. This program aims to increase the number of graduates and future experts in the space applications sector. Additionally, TRL Space's internship program was highlighted as an attractive incentive, offering financial rewards that can effectively draw talent towards space research and industry endeavors.

The discussion also touched on the issue of space debris, which represents a significant problem. The atmospheric burning of satellites has been found to have adverse effects on the climate, a consequence not previously anticipated. Another challenge is the legal aspect of removing satellites from the atmosphere, as it requires legal ownership of them. This question is one of the key aspects to be solved in the context of solving the problem of space debris and the sustainable use of outer space.

During the evening, the visitors had a chance to see the inflatable model of the night planet Earth, Temnalóna, by Hvězdárna a planetárium Brno, installed for the occasion in the garden of Prague House in Brussels. 

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Science Café: Earth Observation: Possibilities and Challenges 

Science Café: Earth

Guitar Duo Cosnefroy-Miralles
Thaïs Cosnefroy (France/Czech Republic) and Antoine Miralles (France) are both second year students of classic guitar master at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in the class of Hugues Navez. It was during the year 2022 that they started playing together in duet and
joined the Muhiddin Dürrüoglu chamber music class in January 2023 in order to benefit from his experience to develop their projects.
The couple of young guitarists travel the eras and crisscross the continents to offer a repertoire rich in colors and virtuosity. From baroque beauty to Argentine Milongas, forgotten masterpieces with Brazilian dances, Thaïs and Antoine are in perpetual quest for eclectic sounds.
In summer 2023, they included pieces for guitar and cello in their repertoire, since Thaïs studies also violoncello at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels.

Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata K.173, arr. Alexandre Lagoya

Alessandro Marcello - J. S. Bach: Concerto for Oboe and Strings in D-minor,
arr. for 2 guitars by Drew Henderson (I. Andante e spiccato, II. Adagio, III. Presto)

Arsen Asanov: Suite Aeternum (I. Preludio, II. Passacaglia, III. Toccatina)

Milongas

Ida Presti: Etude fantasque

Milan Tesař: Suita Karussel (I. Intermezzo, II. Aria, III. Finale)

Jorge Morel: Danza Brasilera

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PH Concert Series - Guitar Duo

guitar duo

Jiří David is a painter, photographer, author of small and monumental sculptures, installations, videos, organizer and curator of exhibitions, a long-time art teacher, but also a public intellectual who often enters the media space and criticizes the existing cultural and civic discourse. His works of art have been exhibited in a number of world museums, at international art exhibitions (he repeatedly participated in the Venice Biennale), and are in public and private collections.

Luboš Plný belongs to the most important representatives of European Art Brut. In his work, he uses a variety of media – he creates collages, drawings, three-dimensional objects, he has realized a number of time-consuming conceptual projects, and performs performances that test the limits of the human body's possibilities. His artworks can be found in many private collectors' collections, but also in the collections of important institutions (e.g. Center Pompidou). Luboš Plný's works were, among other things, exhibited in 2017 in the curated section of the Venice Biennale.

The exhibition will last until February 29, 2024.
You are kindly requested to book your visit at praguehouse@praha.eu.

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The festive opening of the exhibition "Jiří David, Luboš Plný: SEEN FOR ONESELF"

Seen for Oneself

The topic was primarily the future development of cohesion policy, which is key for our regions. The ambassador informed about the position of the Czech Republic and other V4 countries and the Baltic states, which defend a common interest in maintaining strong and effective cohesion. The debate also touched on the ongoing revision of the multi-year financial framework, which will affect the EU budget for the next period, or the preparation of the strategic mandate of the new European Commission, while the active involvement of the regions in formulating our priorities in cooperation with individual ministerial departments is key.

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Meeting of the the Czech National Delegation at the Committee of the Regions

Despite a very busy programme, the Mayor had the chance to get acquainted with the current activities of the Prague House, to discuss the events of the coming months, when we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Czech Republic's accession to the EU, to enjoy the exhibition by Jiří Petrbok and even to visit the SCULPTURA #2 exhibition at Gare Maritime, of which the Prague House is a proud partner.
The Mayor then spent most of his two-day visit at official events of the Belgian Presidency – 13. Direct dialogue with the Commissioner Didier Reynders on rule of law and High-level event: A European urban policy fit for the future. 
Both meetings provided many opportunities to meet European counterparts, have inspiring discussions and spend an enjoyable time in the heart of the EU.



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Educational Field Trip to Brussels: A Deep Dive into EU Dynamics

The Czech Republic’s journey: Two Decades in the EU and a Quarter...