Charles University celebrated the 677th anniversary of its founding on Monday, April 7. On this occasion, the Miloslav Petrusek Awards for Representation and Promotion and the Bedřich Hrozný Awards for Creative Achievement were presented, as is tradition. The former was awarded to Petr Jan Juračka from our faculty too. Congratulations!
Photo: Michal Novotný
The celebration of its foundation 677 years ago is traditionally perceived by Charles University as a space to support and appreciate the university science and members of the academic community who positively influence the events at the university with their active approach. On the occasion of the anniversary celebrations, a festive meeting was held in the Grand Hall of the Karolinska University, where awards were presented to highlight these values.
"It is indeed a great pleasure for me to present these prestigious awards. This year's winners of the Miloslav Petrusek Prizes and the Bedřich Hrozný Prizes not only significantly enrich the academic sphere with their activities and professional outputs, but also contribute to spreading the good name of our University towards the broadest public. I congratulate all the winners from the bottom of my heart and I believe that their example and determination will be a further motivation for all those who are dedicated to education, research and popularisation of science, " said the Rector of Charles University, Prof. Milena Králíčková, on the occasion of the celebrations.
Vice-rector for Human Resources Development and New Technologies Věra Jourová also spoke at the festive session . "The University is a guarantee of stability and the best tradition in science, education and social responsibility. Charles University is one of the oldest in Europe and the date of its birth is an immeasurable value in itself. At the same time, and I believe that with the blessing of Charles IV, it must strive to be a modern institution that responds to social and technological developments, that manages adaptation to change and at the same time is itself an agent and promoter of change for the better," added Věra Jourová.
On the day of the celebration of the founding of the oldest Czech university, the Rector of Charles University presented the Miloslav Petrusek Award for Representation and Promotion. The prize was awarded to the Organising Team of the FYKOS Association, z. s., for the organisation of the international competition "Physics" and for their significant contribution to the creation of a positive image of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University and the entire University. Dr. Jan Charvát received the award for the development of the so-called third role of the university through a successful podcast series on political extremism called Extrem. Dr Petr Jan Juračka, whose activities in this area have involved a wide range of communication channels, received the award for his long-term and systematic popularisation and promotion of the natural sciences.
Photo: Michal Novotný
“Petr Jan Juračka has been devoted to the popularization of the natural sciences in a long-term and systematic manner, particularly in the context of promoting the good name of the Faculty of Science, Charles University, through all conceivable channels aimed at the general public. In addition to traditional methods, he does not hesitate to make use of all modern technologies and unconventional approaches,” writes the Dean of the Faculty, Associate Professor Vladimír Krylov, in his nomination text.
The Bedřich Hrozný Prize for Creative Achievement, which has a significant impact on creating a positive image of Charles University in the eyes of the general public, was again awarded to a total of four laureates this year. Professor Lenka Karfíková from the Department of Philosophy at the Evangelical Theological Faculty of Charles University received the award for her annotated translation and introductory study of Aurelius Augustine's text On the Trinity. Dr. Jakub Drápal from the Department of Criminal Law, Faculty of Law, Charles University was awarded for the publication Conditional Imprisonment: prevalent, indescribable, disproportionate. Dr Robert Roreitner of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, UK, was awarded for publishing a series of four closely interrelated major studies in prestigious journals that together deepen and transform understanding of theories of human rationality in ancient thought. The award also went to Professor Václav Smrčka of the Institute of the History of Medicine and Foreign Languages, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University for his publication A Thousand Years of Diseases and Wars from the Boneyards of Bohemia and Moravia.