2019 in Brno: A Year of University Centenaries and Science Festivals

2019 will see a number of important anniversaries and many science events in Brno. Photo credit: @Brnodaily.

Universities

Several events especially for students will be taking place this year, as both Masaryk and Mendel Universities celebrate the 100th anniversary of their foundation. The centenaries will be marked with unique and vibrant events; among them will be an afternoon full of music and entertainment on June 15, which is Graduate Day at Masaryk University faculties.

Mendel University is preparing a series of events, ranging from a ball in February to the introduction of a special tram dedicated to Gregor Mendel, the famous Brno scientist, in March.

VUT University of Technology will also celebrate its 120th anniversary in on May 25, which will be celebrated with a musical program and a light show.

Science

How does life look under the microscope? If you are in Brno from March 6 – 10, you can find out at the Days of Electron Microscopy 2019 (Dny elektronové mikroskopie 2019). It is almost 70 years since the first Czech electron microscope was produced in Brno.

Summer science festival, ‘Mendel je…(Mendel is…), is dedicated to Gregor Mendel. The festival, which will take place on July 19-21, is an entertaining professional multi-genre event combining science, art, and a community dimension.

Festival of Science (Festival vědy) on September 6-7 will showcase scientific research and science institutions. Another event will take place on September 27: The Night of Scientists (Noc vědců) is a nationwide event that will attempt to engage everyone in an inspiring environment of science, in which participants can play, learn, and try to grasp and discover our fascinating world.

The International Engineering Fair will take place on October 7-11, with all key areas of the mechanical and electrical engineering industries represented.

In November 2019 the Czech Academy of Sciences will host an event named
the Week of Science and Technology (Týden vědy a techniky AV ČR), an open day for anyone interested in finding out more about the latest trends in the area of science, the work of scientific employees, the research projects of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the latest scientific instruments.

The Prototyp Festival will combine science, technology, art, and fashion, through an exhibition and accompanying programme of interactive installations, workshops, lectures, and live performances. The festival will open in November.

Architecture

If you like unusual places and views, make a note in your diary for April 14, when the Open House festival will see some of Brno’s most architecturally interesting buildings and spaces open free of charge to visitors.

Film

For fans of unusual film festivals, Brno will play host to the Fulldome Festival and DigiFest on June 3-6, the world’s largest festival of the latest films for digital planetariums. The films will be shown in a special format projected onto a hemisphere screen with a diameter of 17 meters in the original English versions.

See the photo gallery of Prototyp 2018. Photo credit: Casadei Graphics.