From 4th to 5th July 2013, on the eve of the national holiday, the Day of the Slavonic Missionaries Cyril and Methodius, the fourteenth year of the Days of the People of Goodwill will take place at Velehrad. "It will be special because Velehrad will become a setting for the climax of the Cyrillo-Methodian anniversary, part of which will be also attendance of important personalities from spiritual as well as secular life. Thus, in July 2013, a small village of Velehrad, which surpasses many cities in importance, will become a setting for the most significant event of the year," said Mgr. Josef Kořenek, secretary of the Days of the People of Goodwill project.

On Thursday 4th July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., visitors may look forward to traditional projects of the non-profit sector like e.g. Hand-Rewriting of the Bible, Velehrad to Children, Contest in Football Skills, International Meeting of Wheelchair Invalid Persons, Activities for the Environment at the open-air museum at Modra, the IN! magazine program or exhibitions at Stojan's grammar school. Not even photography contests for children and adults will be missing, a contest for travelers titled Velehrad Passport, presentations of charitable organizations and movements and communities, games and contests for children and adults, interactive workshops. This all will take place in the presence of important representatives of social and political life.

A festive concert, the Evening of the People of Goodwill, will begin on the stage in front of the basilica at 7:30 p.m., during which four charitable projects will be introduced. There will be a chance to contribute to these projects by means of DMS VELEHRAD. The yield will be evenly distributed among projects selected in advance. The concert will be broadcast, in a live transmission, by the Czech Television and the Czech Radio 1 – Radiožurnál.

The Cyrillo-Methodian celebrations take place under the auspices of:

Cardinal Dominik Duka OP, Archbishop of Prague • Mons. Jan Graubner, Archbishop of Olomouc and President of the National Committee for the Preparations of the Cyrillo-Methodian Anniversary • Metropolitan Christopher, Emeritus Archbishop of Prague, Primate of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovakia • RNDr. Petr Nečas, Prime Minister of the Government of the Czech Republic • Milan Štěch, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic • Miroslava Němcová, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic • Mgr. Alena Hanáková, former Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic • Prof. PhDr. Petr Fiala, Ph.D., LL.M., Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic • Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic • Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., dr.h.c., President of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic • MVDr. Stanislav Mišák, Governor of the Zlín Region • Ing. Jiří Rozbořil, Governor of the Olomouc Region • JUDr. Michal Hašek, Governor of the South Moravian Region • Prof. RNDr. Václav Hampl, DrSc., Rector of Charles University in Prague • doc. PhDr. Mikuláš Bek, Ph.D., Rector of Masaryk University • Prof. RNDr. Miroslav Mašlán, CSc., Rector of Palacky University in Olomouc.

The Big Anniversary and Velehrad

This year is in the sign of big celebrations because exactly 1150 years have passed since the arrival of the Slavonic missionaries to Great Moravia. This is a universal cultural anniversary. Velehrad, the place of pilgrimage, is a cultural cradle of our state. It will remind visitors of the fact that for a full development of people and nations not only the material dimension but also the spiritual dimension is needed.

Further information:
Kristina Vavríková
PETARDA PRODUCTION a. s.

Phone: +420 724 029 902
E-mail: tisk@velehrad.eu