For the first time, a charity event was held at the Faculty of Science Ball of Charles University to support The Endowment Fund of the Faculty of Science. The evening brought together generous donors and guests with the goal of supporting scholarships and international internships for talented students, highlighting the importance of solidarity within the academic community.
The Endowment Fund of the Faculty of Science, established in December 2017, aims to promote teaching, scientific, and research activities at the faculty, with a particular focus on helping students with international internships and providing scholarships. Since its inception, the foundation has granted financial support for international trips to 47 students with contributions of 30,000 CZK each and awarded scholarships of 60,000 CZK to 25 students in the Science program. In total, more than 3 million CZK have been spent on these activities.
During the evening, the host invited the dean of the faculty to the stage to welcome a special guest — Dušan Brinzanik, director of the IOCB Tech Foundation, a long-term and generous donor. Dušan Brinzanik ceremoniously presented a cheque for 300,000 CZK in support of The Endowment Fund of the Faculty of Science and shared a few words about the mission and activities of the IOCB Tech Foundation. This moment was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience and added to the festive atmosphere of the evening.
Charity Auction Brought Additional Support for Talented Students
The charity segment of the evening did not end there. Following the cheque presentation, a charity auction was held, with all proceeds going to support the Faculty of Science Foundation. The auction’s highlight was a private guided tour of the June Grand Exhibition of Invertebrates at the Botanical Garden Na Slupi. This unique event offered the winner and their guests the chance not only to see the fascinating world of invertebrates up close but also to personally examine or even touch some of the specimens. The entire tour will be led by Dr. Petr Šípek from the Department of Zoology at the Faculty of Science, Charles University, a well-known entomologist and science popularizer.
The starting price for the tour was set at 8,000 CZK, and participants could place bids freely. The auction took place in a lively atmosphere, with attendees eagerly placing bids to contribute as much as possible to the cause. In the end, the amount reached an impressive sum of 30,000 CZK, with the bidder being the dean of the faculty himself, Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Ing. Vladimír Krylov, Ph.D.
Overall, the charity segment of the ball was marked by generosity and a commitment to supporting talented students and young scientists, who will now have greater opportunities to develop their skills and engage in international scientific cooperation.
The auction had ended, the winner was known, and for those who had been inspired, there was good news. As the dean mentioned at the beginning of the evening, the opportunity to contribute was still available. It was enough to scan the QR code on the flyers placed on the tables and around the National House to support the Faculty of Science Foundation in this way as well. Every contribution, big or small, made a difference.
The organizers once again thanked everyone for their generosity.