In the framework of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 the National Gallery in Ljubljana hosts every first Sunday of the month the days of national cultures, where each member state has a chance to present its tangible and intangible cultural heritage. With regard to the centennial anniversary of the Czech statehood the Czech Day was scheduled for November 4, 2018.

The whole-day program offered the guided tours of the National Gallery permanent collection with focus on the artworks and artists connected with the Czech Republic. Furthermore, it included the projection of photographs “Plečnik at the Prague Castle” commented by Dr. Damjan Prelovšek, the solemn opening of the exhibition “UNESCO Monuments in the Czech Republic”, the concert of the Czech music performed by the Crescendo choir, the language workshops for children and the Czech animated movies projection.

The main part of the program consisted of the handover ceremony of the „Artis Bohemiae Amicis“ prize awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic to prof. dr. Damjan Prelovšek, the former Ambassador of Slovenia to the Czech Republic and the expert on the work of J. Plečnik. The prize was handed over by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Ljubljana Věra Zemanová in the presence of the representative of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia and the representatives of the National Gallery.

The Czech Day presented various aspects of the Czech cultural heritage and it was highly appreciated by the visitors. Over 500 people from the cultural and academic circles, the Czech citizens community in Slovenia and the general public attended this event.