Expats Welcomed by the City Hall and the Mayor
Last week, the City Hall welcomed expat representatives for a special gathering under its roof, invited by the Mayor herself, Markéta Vaňková. The social evening represented a sincere welcome to Brno, and highlighted the City Hall’s recognition of the invaluable contributions expats bring to the city.
In her welcoming speech, the Mayor emphasized Brno’s commitment to being a city of science, research and innovation, underscoring the importance of international talents in sustaining this vision. She wished the expat community a marvelous time in Brno. “I hope you decide to stay here for good, feeling that Brno is just as good for you as you are for it,” she concluded her speech.
Beside the Mayor, other City Hall representatives attended the event in support of making the city a welcoming place for expats. Among them, Anna Putnová, a City Assembly Member for Innovation and Research Centres Cooperation, mentioned the two awards Brno earned for itself last year. Namely, the Smart City Award, in the category of cooperation with a new start-up project (in Prague). Secondly, the European Entrepreneurial Regional Award by the European Parliament (in Brussels).
According to Putnová, foreign experts play a key part in the journey for such achievements. “The development of our city would not have been and could not been so dynamic without the contributions of people from different countries,” she said in her speech. “They bring to us their own perspectives, experience, knowledge, and culture, enriching and helping in the progress and development of our society.”
The diverse guest list included representatives from the researchers, businessmen, managing directors, academics or musicians who came to live in Brno from abroad.
The gathering aimed to foster a sense of community and connection among those who have chosen Brno as their new home. Two expats, Mary and Frank, shared their experience as internationals living in Brno:
Mary, a research scientist who arrived over 9 years ago, spoke highly of Brno’s prestigious setting for researchers. Frank, who initially stayed for a 6-month internship at the City Hall, found his future wife during those months, and has been calling Brno home since 2006. Mary concluded, stating, “There’s a unique feeling in the city, and that Brno hasn’t been discovered yet. There are opportunities here that you won’t find in many other cities.”
Special thanks go to the City Hall, for having us, and the great team of people from the Department of Strategic Development and Cooperation, for co-organizing this event with our Brno Expat Centre team.
As Brno continues to thrive as a city of progress and innovation, events like these serve as a testament to the city’s commitment to embracing its diverse and dynamic population.
Pictures courtesy of Jiří Lubojacký. See more >>
