Members Face to Face meeting in Prague on 17-18 February 2020

Members Face to Face meeting in Prague on 17-18 February 2020

This Face to Face meeting was hosted by FRH council member, Wenceslas de Lobkowicz. The meeting featured presentations by FRH members and included two study visits to religious heritage sites.

These face to face meetings are organised on a regular basis exclusively for FRH members.  Their purpose is to enhance the role of our network as a platform where members can meet and network as well as exchange ideas, information, and good practices.

On the first day of the meeting, the members visited the Archbishop’s Palace, which is located in the old town of Prague. They had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the palace as well as its purpose today. The palace has been the seat of Prague’s archbishops and bishops since the 1660s. It acquired its current appearance in the second half of the 18th century when it underwent a significant late Baroque reconstruction.

In the afternoon, the members’ meeting was held in the Grand Priory Palace. The Palace is the seat of the Grand Prior of Bohemia of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodos and of Malta (also known as the Knights of Malta). The meeting started with a welcome speech by the Procurator of the Sovereign Order Of Malta, who gave an explanation on the order and on the state of the Czech Republic’s religious heritage. This was followed by FRH members’ presentations on their main projects and activities, followed by reflections on the the network’s membership building strategy and key FRH activities.

On the second day, members met in the morning, and continued their reflection on FRH membership and network building strategy.

The members’ meeting was followed by a study visit to Hajek Monastery, located near Prague. They were met by Franciscan Brother Jakub. During the study visit, they had the chance to learn about the history of the monastery while visiting the building. The monastery was originally established in the 16th century, but faced closure during the Communist regime in the 1950s.  Nowadays, it is undergoing restoration, and aims to become a centre of pilgrimage and retreats.

FRH would like to thank all the members and participants who joined us in Prague for the wonderful presentations and discussions, and to the hosts for their dedication and hospitality.

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