Czech President Petr Pavel visited the CAS Conference Centre – Chateau Třešt’
30. 05. 2023
As part of his first official visit to the Vysočina Region, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, along with the First Lady and accompanying team visited the CAS Conference Centre at the Třešť Chateau on 25 May 2023. As the Centre is under the wing of the Czech Academy of Sciences, he was welcomed by the President of the CAS, Eva Zažímalová. Among other things, she familiarised President Pavel with the activities of the CAS Strategy AV21 research programmes. Pavel was then invited by Zažímalová to visit selected CAS institutes to get acquainted with their activities and achievements.
The busy two-day programme of the presidential couple began at one of the primary schools in the town of Pelhřimov. This was followed by a visit to Jihlava, which was all in the name of sports and relaxation. Directly from the sports ground, however, Petr Pavel and his entourage headed to the chateau hotel in Třešť, where he was to spend the night. The conference centre, which operates at Chateau Třešť, belongs to the CAS. Pavel was thus welcomed on site by the most competent person to show him around, the President of the CAS, Eva Zažímalová.
Eva Zažímalová welcoming Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva Pavlová to Chateau Třešt’.
Together with the director of the hotel, Pavla Pěkná, Zažímalová briefly introduced the local chateau to the visitors from Prague Castle. The chateau recently (May 2022) reopened to researchers and the public after almost two years of reconstruction. The neo-Renaissance chateau, almost in the very heart of Třešť, was used in the past as a hotel and congress premises by the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. After years of operation, however, the building needed to be renovated, and so the Academy’s leadership, together with the Centre of Administration and Operations of the CAS, in whose care the chateau grounds are located, undertook an extensive renovation focused mainly on the interior premises.
Top research in the public interest
Eva Zažímalová then spoke with President Petr Pavel about the activities of the Czech Academy of Sciences – among other things, about the activities of the CAS Strategy AV21 research programmes, which, in the spirit of its motto, “Top research in the public interest”, responds to problems and challenges of our society today. The research programmes, based on cooperation between scientific disciplines and institutions, cover topics such as the future of energy of the Czech Republic, healthcare of its citizens, artificial intelligence, and the quality of public policies.
The President of the Czech Republic was also familiarised with the range of expertise offered by the Academy in various scientific disciplines. The mission of the CAS and its institutes is to conduct research in a broad spectrum of natural, technical, humanities and social sciences, which seeks to advance knowledge and accentuate the current needs of Czech society and culture. As a leading scientific institution, the Academy prepares, for instance, independent expert opinions for governmental authorities and its representatives in matters of public affairs (so-called AVex).
Thursday’s programme ended with the Czech President back in Jihlava, specifically in the Horácké Theatre, which hoste an awards ceremony for the Integrated Rescue System of the Czech Republic. Friday’s activities were devoted to different topics altogether, such as ecology and agriculture. The two days spent in the Vysočina Region show that President Petr Pavel values, so to speak, “harmony in mind and body”, and that he is interested in all the main areas under the responsibility of the Czech Ministry of Education – education, youth, and sports, as well as science and research.
Eva Zažímalová invited Czech President Petr Pavel to visit selected institutes of the CAS.
In order to foster cooperation in the future, the President of the Czech Academy of Sciences invited President Pavel to visit selected CAS institutes in the field of humanities and social sciences. It is thus possible that their next meeting will entail a walk together, for instance, to archaeological sites in Moravia or in the areas surrounding Prague Castle – places where research work by CAS researchers is being conducted.
Prepared by: Markéta Wernerová, Division of External Relations, CAO of the CAS
Translated by: Tereza Novická, Division of External Relations, CAO of the CAS
Photo: Jana Plavec, Division of External Relations, CAO of the CAS
The text and photos are released for use under the Creative Commons license.
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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. Eva Zažímalová has started her second term of office in May 2021. She is a respected scientist, and a Professor of Plant Anatomy and Physiology.
She is also a part of GCSA of the EU.