A restless world

Professor Jiří Hanuš

The fifth edition of Masaryk Days will take place at Masaryk University on 11 and 12 March. This time it will be devoted to the theme "An Unquiet World". Tomáš G. Masaryk lived in a time that was also very turbulent in many respects – let us recall national disputes, the Great War (1914–1918), the formation of a new state, social problems. For us it was and is the experience of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, economic problems and last but not least the pre-Christmas tragedy at the Faculty of Arts of the Charles University.

After honouring the memory of TGM on Komenský Square, Prof. Ariel Feldestein will discuss the phenomenon of anti-Semitism in history. After his lecture, the legacy of Sir Roger Scruton will be commemorated by presenting the R. Scruton Award to the Brno writer and essayist Pavel Švanda.

The theme of a troubled world will also appear during the second afternoon at the Augustinian Monastery in Old Brno. There will be a discussion with leading Czech experts on the "hotbeds" of contemporary world problems: with Jan Holzer, Zinada Bechna, Jan Fingerland, Josef Pazderka and Petr Hlaváček. The Masaryk theme will be recalled with a lecture by Táňa Klementová and an accompanying exhibition.

The second day of the event will include the launch of a book entitled Arnošt's Journey – with Eva Lustigová, Milan Uhde and Markéta Pilátová, as well as the expected concert, this time presented by Lubomír Spurný.

The organisers' intention is not only to keep the topics related to the activities of the spiritual father of Masaryk University up to date through meetings, talks, conference papers and academic discussions. However, the two-day event, in which all parts of the MU Cultural Centre participate, is intended to become an opportunity to address not only the academic public, but all those interested in the problems of the troubled world in which we live.

Jiří Hanuš
Vice-Rector for Academic and Personnel Affairs