Academy Council of the CAS statement on the tragic events at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University
22. 12. 2023
The Czech Academy of Sciences is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic events that occurred on 21 December 2023 at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague.
The Czech Academy of Sciences is shaken by the news of the tragic events that occurred on Thursday 21 December 2023 at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague. We hold many personal and institutional ties to the academic community of the oldest university in the Czech Republic. Charles University is the alma mater of many of us; a number of our colleagues, friends, and relatives study and work at the Faculty of Arts. We hold the victims and survivors in our thoughts and extend our sincere condolences to the bereaved.
We firmly believed that nothing like this would ever happen on an academic campus in the Czech Republic. Waking up to the horrific reality of a mass shooting is all the more devastating. We offer our support to the entire academic community of Charles University and the Faculty of Arts, its teachers, students, and staff in the wake of this senseless act of violence.
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The Czech Academy of Sciences (the CAS)
The mission of the CAS
The primary mission of the CAS is to conduct research in a broad spectrum of natural, technical and social sciences as well as humanities. This research aims to advance progress of scientific knowledge at the international level, considering, however, the specific needs of the Czech society and the national culture.
President of the CAS
Prof. Radomír Pánek started his first term of office in March 2025. He is a prominent Czech scientist specializing in plasma physics and nuclear fusion.