„For me, it’s like a joint meeting about our world,“
said Zdeněk Neubauerduring one of his visits to the Olomouc Ecology Days

Sluňákov – centrum ekologických aktivit města Olomouce, o.p.s. (Sluňákov – Environmental Activity Centre of the City of Olomouc, public benefit organisation; hereinafter “Sluňákov”) is a well-established and certificated organisation dealing with environmental education, training and dialogue intermediation. It has been providing environmental educational programmes for pupils of all kinds of schools, as well as informal education in the fields of history, psychology, pedagogy, global development and craft skills, and organising related events for the general public in the form of lectures, seminars, excursions and workshops for more than 30 years.

In addition to the above, Sluňákov, by means of a wide range of activities, has been trying to connect individuals and organisations active in various areas of the natural and social sciences, art, municipal and regional administration and business for the duration of its existence. The activities take the form of lectures, hands-on presentations, exhibitions, artistic performances and publishing, and are aimed at creating space suitable for sharing less frequented, non-conforming and marginal visions concerning the general issues of humanity and the surrounding world. They are especially organised as the Olomouc Environmental Days and, despite their name, deal not only with environmental issues, but also cover many other fields and themes as well. The lecturers come from various backgrounds (universities, non-governmental organisations, business) and performing artists present a vast range of artistic genres and expressions. An informal network, whose strands are made up of dozens of active participants in public discourse, as well as people and organisations almost unknown to the public, has come into being over the years.

All these activities form the basis for the unique concept of the EDO 2021–2023 project (the “Environmental Education Pillars” Call, funded by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic). In addition to promotion of current environmental and social issues, its implementation allows the reinforcement of links between human society and nature, the landscape, the environment and creative arts across generations. Given the festival embraces many fields and interconnects social and natural sciences, academic theories and practical experience, art and everyday life, it provides perspectives which allow us to approach the themes constructively. The Olomouc Environmental Days thus become a platform for a meaningful social discussion.

As a part of the EDO 2021–2023 project Sluňákov will hold the following events:

Lectures and discussions – a three-day constructive dialogue between leading Czech representatives of natural and social sciences and the general public;

EcoFair – a collective celebration of life, a place for meetings and exchanging opinions, a public space for common discussions about our world, a craft fair with a supporting cultural programme and environmental activities for children and their parents;

Environmental Evenings – public lectures and chaired debates held in the Archdiocese Museum or the Art Museum in the city of Olomouc throughout the year;

Public Days – day-long education events consisting of a wide range of various activities for children and their parents held on the premises of Sluňákov – Environmental Centre;

Guided excursions – trips and excursions led by external experts to remarkable locations in the Czech Republic;

Exhibitions, various cultural events and workshops.