The festival focused on tracing the key historical moments that, over the course of a hundred years of Czechoslovak and later Czech statehood, shaped the thinking of several generations of its citizens. It revisited the landmark years of 1918 and 1989—crucial for the country’s democratic development—as well as 1938, 1948, and 1968, when totalitarian regimes stripped Czech society of its freedom and claimed the lives of countless citizens.
In 2018, our guests and key contributors to the festival’s discussion forums and artistic programmes were Brno (or South Moravian) natives who emigrated from Czechoslovakia and went on to develop their professional or creative potential abroad. Among them were writer Sylvie Richterová, Veronika Firkusny—daughter of piano virtuoso Rudolf Firkušný—and architect Jiří Oplatek. Together with local and international guests, they offered fresh perspectives on our recent history—perspectives still unfamiliar to much of the younger generation, and perhaps even to many older ones.
As part of the festival, we also held the Pilgrimage of Reconciliation—a commemorative march retracing, in reverse, the path of the so-called “Death March” of 31 May 1945, which marked the forced expulsion of the German-speaking population. The route from Pohořelice to Brno serves as a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and return.
This event is traditionally accompanied by a several-day programme involving German and Austrian high school students, who, alongside their Czech peers, take part not only in the march itself but also in workshops and lectures. These sessions introduce them to lesser-known and long-neglected chapters of history. The main goal is to foster understanding of the city’s multicultural past—of the coexistence of diverse communities, languages, cultures, and nations—and to spark connections for future collaboration.
Want to learn more about the third edition of Meeting Brno? Have a look at our Annual Report.
