The book points to threats to our democracy

The prizes are traditionally awarded in several categories and the main prize is the Book of the Year, yesterday awarded to Editor-in-Chief of the Respekt magazine, Erik Tabery for his book Forsaken Society with the subtitle Czech Path, from Masaryk to Babiš.

The book maps out the political situation, describing the danger in which our democracy found itself. Tabery´s considerations are based on the given facts and provide the reader with an opportunity of assessing the political situation for himself. It analyses the achievements of Czech political populists, deals with the weakening influence of public media and points to the strength of misinforming websites. It celebrates education and honest journalism.

Prodej bytu 4+1, Praha 1 - 135, Praha 1

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Readers elected Saturnin

The Magnesia Litera awards were also affected by the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia. From each year, starting with 1918, one book was selected, voted upon by experts as well as the general public. At the gala celebration, three best books of the century were announced. Readers voted for the famous humoristic novel, Saturnin (1942), by Zdeněk Jirotka; the professionals elected The Good Soldier Švejk during One Hundred Years of War (1921) by Jaroslav Hašek.

For the first time in history, this year there has also been awarded a prize for poetry, entitled Moleskine Litera for Poetry. This was obtained by Milan Děžinský for the book Circumvention of the Island.

Importance of the awards for the authors

Magnesia Litera represents the most prestigious award in the area of literature in the Czech Republic. The prize is very coveted by the authors, since it increases their publicity, hand in hand, of course, with readership and marketability of their books. The winner of the Book of the Year also receives a gift to the value of CZK 200,000, the best poet CZK 30,000.

Do not think, however, that the only aim of the project is to entertain the public. We asked the director of the Open House Festival Prague, Andrea Šenkyříková, what the mission of this unique project is, who stands behind it, and what effort must be expended on annual basis for us to be able to get to know new aspects of our capital.

Show Interest in the city in which we live!

Open House is a project that takes place in many countries and which has a unique form depending on location. "Slovenia is for example focused more on working with children and various groups of the population, including the disabled. That is a direction in which we would also like to go," says Andrea Šenkyříková.

But at the same time she adds that the support on the part of public institutions and the corporate system is in the Czech Republic low as compared to other states.

"From my point of view it is necessary first to change public opinion so that public space is given a more prominent role. Until the citizens themselves are more concerned about the town in which they live, there will be no pressure which is necessary in order to make any change."

Prodej investičního ateliéru 19m2-Praha, Praha 10

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The entire workload is done by 7 organisers and hundreds of volunteers!

If you expected a large organisation that every year prepares the luxury festival Open House, you are greatly mistaken. In the preparations of this year is involved a seven-member organisational team which does this work more or less in their ´free time´, and approximately 300 volunteers from among students, photographers and architects. Open House is also cooperated upon by many people associated with the buildings themselves - the owners, guards, cleaners, etc. They all deserve big thanks, because without their help the Open House Festival Prague probably couldn´t exist.

The future of Open House Festival:

"The Festival will never be a "profitable" project. Nor is it our ambition; we do not want to introduce admission fees. Nevertheless our vision is to build a stable base for the organisation of the annual programmes which would offer architectural topics for different social and age groups."Andrea Šenkyříková.