Landscape transformation at the November Geography Days 2024

From 11 to 14 November, the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Science of the Jagiellonian University invites you to the traditional festival, not only for geographers, Days of Geography 2024. The theme of this year’s edition is “Landscape of absences …. and seekers”, which refers, among other things, to the forgotten stories of our landscape. In the second week of November, CPTO will host lectures, discussions, talks, an exhibition and a concert. The final day of the festival will be dedicated to geography teachers.

The Geography Days 2024 will open on Monday 11 November at 12:00 with the expert session “Landscape of absences …. and seekers”, moderated by Veronika Kupkova (author of the documentary Generation “N”: Deutschböhme). The guests of the expert panel will be Dr. Soňa Mikulová, historian of emotions from the Max-Planck-Institut in Berlin, Dr. Zdeněk Kučera, historical geographer from the Faculty of Science of Charles University and Tomáš Lindner, foreign reporter from the weekly RESPEKT.

Monday afternoon will be devoted to the students and their experiences from their Erasmus+ study stays in Greece, Spain or a student expedition in Albania.

Tuesday’s programme will focus on the landscape of the Czech border region, its stories, transformation and renewal. In the morning, Zdeněk Petr from the Malečovský rozhled, z.s. association will give a lecture on the Restoration of Memory – the Example of Malečov Region. The afternoon session will begin with a lecture by Dr. Zdeněk Kučera Landscape as an adopted heritage. The disappearance of settlements and the transformation of the Czech borderland, followed by a podium discussion “Rebirth of Place” at 16:00: The Story of a Pilgrimage Church in a Displaced Landscape. The discussion, which will be dedicated to the restoration of the Skoky (Maria Stock) pilgrimage site, will be moderated by Dr. Silvie R. Kučerová from the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Arts of the Jagiellonian University. The afternoon lecture block can also be watched online at this address.

The debate between Jiří Schierl and Petr Linhart (Pod střechou association) and P. Vladimír Slámečka, Rector of the Academic Spiritual Administration of the Czech Technical University in Prague) will be followed by Petr Linhart as a musician (landscape folk), who will make the atrium of the CPTO ring with his guitar melodies and sensitive lyrics, not only about the landscape.

Wednesday (13 November 2024) will be devoted to a panel of experts on the topic of Invisible Landscapes. Mgr. Monika Stará (Centre for Documentation and Digitization of Cultural Heritage, Faculty of Arts, UJEP) and Dr. Petr Meyer (Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, UJEP).

From 13:00, the organizers invite you to the popular HydePark format, or for coffee with the head of the Department of Geography, who will answer all the burning questions about studying at KGEO UJEP. Afterwards, the best qualification papers will be awarded by the North Bohemian branch of the CGS.

Thursday‘s programme will be dedicated to geography teachers of primary and secondary schools. On 14 November, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, a rich programme is prepared, which includes a lecture on current trends in world population development, introduction of geographic tools for 3D printing and introduction to the concept of the competition and the tasks of the Geography Olympiad. Teachers can also learn more about the cross-curricular connection of the topic of changes in the landscape and about tandem teaching or about looking at the Ústí region through common stereotypes. Educators can find detailed information and a registration form for Geography Teacher Day HERE.

Geography Teachers’ Days 2024 brings a varied and inspiring programme not only for geography fans. Participation in the event is free of charge and is not conditional on studying at UJEP. You are cordially invited!