Ondřej Dostál was the first to speak on the pallet after an introduction by the director of Impact Hub Ostrava and the coordinator of the event.He presented the FajnOVA project, which is the code name for the Strategic Development Plan of the City of Ostrava 2017-2023. “We are fighting stereotypical prejudices that are often voiced by those who have not been here for 10 years or more. When people say Ostrava, they think of shirtless miners walking the streets, the sun doesn’t shine here, the grass doesn’t grow here, and the air is visible,” he explained with exaggeration over pictures of Ostrava that were a good half-century old. He also amused with a photo of a message from eight-year-old Mirek, who, as part of his feedback to the city, said he wanted a forest, monkeys, the sea, the metro and freedom here. “Then the image would change itself,” Dostál said, but even that is not enough. So he allowed himself a challenge at the end of his quick entry: “Next year, invite at least 10 people who have not been to Ostrava or our region for years. I believe that in this way there will be more and more of us who will appreciate Ostrava,” he ended his quick speech.
Just like in the audience, the presenters included guests not only from Ostrava. For example, Zuzana Palová came from Havířov on behalf of the Centre for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Employment. Under the auspices of Heimstaden CZ, they work on the development of entrepreneurship, and not only in the business sense. The staff of the centre is trying to improve the conditions for career growth and for employment on the market, and local services are developing according to the current social situation. Since its founding in 2019, the center has repeatedly expanded its portfolio and now also offers consulting for non-profits, an incubator for young talents, coworking spaces, and assistance to Ukrainian refugees.
Monika Zábojníková came again from Dolní Lutyně and surprised with several statements. Bezdínek Farm, which she presented, is the largest tomato farm in the Czech Republic with an area of over 11 hectares. Its operation has created 200 new jobs, mainly for single mothers, people 50+ and men from the coal industry. They make sure the taste is impeccable, the vegetables are completely pesticide-free, water is saved thanks to advanced technology and the carbon footprint is reduced thanks to local cultivation. They can ship out an incredible 30 tonnes of high quality tomatoes a day. “We are building a visitor centre because we believe that only an educated consumer can help make a difference and move away from chemically treated food. We would like our farm to be a new agritourism destination on the map of our region,” concluded Zábojníková, urging people to get involved.
Michael Sikora came from Karviná to introduce Lodičky Dokořán. Lodičky Dokořán runs the Karviná area and brings together a large group of people who want to move things forward in the city. “We have already found ourselves involved in many beautiful activities, such as the revitalisation of the Karviná sea or the reconstruction of the former castle stables, where we are planning a Community Hub. And we are also participating in POHO2030 or the Strategic Development of the city. But today I want to tell you about one interesting micro-change in particular,” Sikora said his main topic. He pointed out that there is definitely conservatism, negativity and also low purchasing power in Karviná. For them as operators, this meant to include “Radegast, turka and Kofola, or risk bankrupting the business”. They opted for an experimental concept they called “double standard”. They offered the listed items, but at the same time they also offered a selection of coffee, craft microbrews and homemade lemonade. “It took time, but in the five years since, we’ve managed to teach visitors to order quality coffee instead of solvent and to appreciate honest homemade products. And it may sound like a small thing, but in my opinion, not only big investment inputs and political decisions are not enough to bring about change, but small decisions and contributions from below are also necessary,” Sikora concluded his story to great applause.
All the speakers of the evening together on the palette of glory (Link to the photo gallery ???? PHOTOS )
SteelOva, CIRAA, FUTUREUM, the Just Transformation Fund and the Centre for Adaptive Technology Support were also on the palette, but it was the Dokořán Boats that eventually won the audience vote for the most interesting presentation. The second place went to Bezdínek Farm. And after speeches from international partners Wise Europa and EIT Climate-KIC, it was time for a tour of the POHO2030 exhibition, networking and refreshments from the popular Los Capolitos.
Missed the programme or couldn’t make it?
You can watch part of the recording. About Bezdínek Farm from about 41:50 minutes ???? Youtube
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