Czech National Trust has officially launched!
We are pleased to announce that the Czech National Trust has officially launched on June 18, 2014. The launch event was a festive evening reception at the Reform Club in London, United Kingdom. Among the reception guests were His Excellency Michael Žantovský, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Zdeněk Novák, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, and representatives of the British Parliament as well as representatives of multiple heritage conservation organisations, including Sir Simon Jenkins, CEO of the British National Trust.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, His Excellency Emil Brix, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Helen Ghosh, Director General of the British National Trust, Simon Molesworth, President of the International National Trusts Organisation, and many others have all expressed their support for our organisation in writing.
CNT builds upon the tradition and principles of The National Trust, Britain’s largest NGO, whose main goal is to preserve, protect and maintain the British cultural and natural heritage.
As part of her speech Dr. Irena Edwards, founder and chairman of the Czech National Trust, has said “Our biggest challenge lies in raising the Czech public awareness of the natural and cultural heritage in the Czech Republic, and also of the historical monuments which are often neglected despite being situated right in one’s area of residence. We would also like to help re-establish the sense of national pride among Czech people in relation to what their ancestors have built and created in the past, and to help conserve and protect this precious heritage for generations to come.” Dr. Edwards has also emphasized the international significance of Czech historical monuments and the CNT goal to help acquire the funds necessary for their restoration and protection, both locally in the Czech Republic and abroad.
CNT Director Eva Žallmannová has presented the pilot CNT project as part of the event, which is the reconstruction of the Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach tomb and chapel in Zdislavice, a small town in the Zlín region. The Czech National Trust is planning to restore this extraordinary site and to open it to the public in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of one of the most remarkable figures of 19th century European literature, Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, whose Czech origin and international significance represent the common cultural heritage of the Central European nations.
A collection was also part of the evening reception. The total of £ 22,000 (770,000 CZK) has been raised and will be used for the implementation of the pilot CNT project.
Photos from the event can be viewed here: http://jollythompson.dphoto.com/#/album/83708t
The Czech National Trust promotes and supports the conservation, protection and maintenance of cultural heritage in the Czech Republic; a cultural heritage of international importance. It aims to inspire, foster and promote the development of an effective voluntary and donor culture in the Czech Republic.
Czech National Trust, o.p.s.
Mlýnská brána
Sněmovní náměstí 2
767 01 Kroměříž
+420 603 417 946
info@czechnationaltrust.org