The national day of the Czech Republic at the EXPO started
21. 3. 2022
On the 21st of March, the first day of spring and only ten days before the end of the General World Exposition EXPO in Dubai, performances from Czech artists flooded the EXPO site. The Czech Republic is celebrating its national day “Czech Spring”. Shortly after 10 am, the Czech flag was raised at the central square Al Wasl Plaza, and the Czech national anthem sounded out. With many high dignitaries of the Dubai government, General Commissioners, and ambassadors from hosting countries in attendance, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, gave an introductory speech. She appreciated not only the generosity of the Dubai EXPO site but also the peaceful competition of the participants in the fields of innovation and creativity.
"There are people even in the 21st century who see things differently. People who believe that nations should compete by brutal force and military power. People who do not hesitate to start a war and to bring immense pain and suffering upon others,” said Markéta Pekarová Adamová. “It is here, at this very place, where the accomplishment of the genius of humanity is proudly being displayed, where the absurdity of war and the destruction it brings becomes so obvious,” she added, and her words were met with applause.
For visitors of the EXPO and the Czech pavilion, the company ArtProm prepared an all-day program with classical, folk, and rock music, street theatre, acrobats, and giant puppets.
"It is the first day of spring, the day when nature awakens when there is hope and expectations in the air. Here in Dubai, people know spring only from storytelling, from stories. That's why we decided to celebrate our National Day by bringing a lot of stories, musicals, theatre, and puppets to the EXPO so that we could tell them in a language that is universal, understandable, and will show stories that come from our country, but people know them all over the world,” says Jakub Vedral, the director of ArtProm about the dramaturgy of the National Day of the Czech Republic.
“Having played on the streets, I am used to playing for an audience from all around the world because a lot of tourists in Prague are from abroad. But here, at the EXPO, I feel how many more people pass through. People from all over the globe meet at the stage in front of the pavilion where I play. They sing with me, and it is an incredibly strong feeling. A great experience for both me and the visitors,” says the guitar player and singer Thom Artway. “I thought that it will be difficult to play at the EXPO because it will be difficult to get people’s attention, but I am enjoying it quite a bit”.
The culmination of the Czech Spring program will be the world premiere of the multimedia show iMucha in the evening, during which the paintings by the Art Nouveau painter Alfons Mucha will come to life, directed by Michal Dvořák.
“iMucha is a unique international project of a story about the battle between creativity and destruction, which happens in the background of the life of a world-famous painter, graphic designer, and visionary of the Art Nouveau style – Alfons Mucha. The contemporary story, the most sophisticated technological projections, modern music, dance, acrobats or a breath-taking stage design all tell a story about a life journey of a famous artist through the eyes of a young comic book illustrator. We will introduce his paintings and posters that have come to life in a way that you could not have possibly seen,” promises Michal Dvořák, who already gained international recognition with the project Vivaldiano.
After a record weekend attendance, the number of visitors of the Czech pavilion surpassed the number 1 111 111 – although the Organizers are saying that the very last weekend at the EXPO, i.e., the 26th and 27th of March, will be the biggest challenge for the EXPO site and the pavilions.
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