The VIZE 97 Prize goes to Professor Liessmann
This year, like every year, the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 awarded the VIZE 97 Prize. This year’s laureate, the twelfth in a row, is Mr Konrad Paul Liessmann, a professor at the Institute of Philosophy of the University of Vienna, who is also an essayist, a literary critic and a journalist with a special focus on the arts. His book, titled “Theory of Miseducation”, was recently published in the Czech Republic. It is a criticism of the current state of science and education, particularly in the humanitarian field, as well as giving an outlook into the future.
On 5 October 2010, on the occasion of the awarding of the VIZE 97 Prize, the Prague Crossroads was the venue for the now-traditional mid-morning debate featuring the newly-awarded laureate and invited guests, who this year were Associate Professor Fiala, Professor Komárek, Professor Jařab, Associate Professor Markoš and Professor Vopěnka. A two-hour discussion on the topic of ”The Value of Man“ raised a great deal of interest among the audience, who were invited in the second half of the debate to take part in the discussions by posing questions to the laureate as well as the other members of the panel.
Then, in the afternoon, a press conference was held at the Prague Crossroads, also participated by president Václav Havel, Associate Professor Fiala and moderated by Ms Markéta Kuklová.
In the early evening, the Prague Crossroads was the venue for the climax of the entire day, attended by more than six hundred guests. The gala ceremony to award the VIZE 97 Prize was held on president Václav Havel’s birthday. Mr and Mrs Havel attended a short traditional get-together with the Prize’s partners before the gala ceremonial itself, during which they thanked the partners for their year-long support and assistance and enjoyed a glass of wine.
Mrs Táňa Fischerová, who displayed her usual charm as the master of ceremonies for this get-together, welcomed Professor Liessmann, Mrs and Mrs Havel, and Associate Professor Jiří Fiala. President Václav Havel got the event underway with a short but apt address. This was followed by a laudation, given by Associate Professor Fiala, and the climax of the whole get-together itself, the awarding of the VIZE 97 Prize, which is made up of two parts – a diploma and a commemorative artefact in the form of the crutch of Saint Adalbert. An address was given by the laureate himself after receiving the Prize. The Student Symphonic Orchestra performed during the course of the ceremonial evening, with the Duo Goelan making a short appearance at the close of the event.
The Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 once again issued this year’s laureate, Professor Liessmann, an anthology titled “The Value of Man“, continuing on from the edition of laureates of the VIZE 97 Foundation Prize. The anthology, like those of previous laureates, may be purchased directly at the head office of the VIZE 97 Foundation on Voršilská Street (either personally or via our website in the Library of the VIZE 97 Prize section) or at selected bookshops.
We would like to thank the media and photographers for their participation in either the entire or individual parts of the gala awarding and look forward to co-operating with them during future years of the VIZE 97 Prize.
Photo: Jana Pertáková, Alan Pajer
