On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, a total of ten individuals received awards in the Grand Hall of Měšťanská Beseda in Plzeň from the hands of the Governor of the Pilsen Region, MUDr. Kamal Farhan, and other regional leaders. The awards included the Award for Life-Saving for 2023, the Lifetime Contribution to the Pilsen Region Award, and Honorary Plaques for Courageous Civic Stances. This year, actor and voice actor Martin Stránský was inducted into the Pilsen Region Hall of Fame.
“It was a great honour to recognize people for their extraordinary deeds. These are stories that must not be forgotten and that deserve our attention. We gave three awards to people who saved someone else’s life. As a doctor, I really appreciate that because I know how fragile life is and how it is often a matter of seconds. At the same time, it is a great pleasure for me as the Governor that the awards were also given to those who have made an indelible mark on our region and are a great asset to it. I also appreciate those who have never been afraid to speak out about their civic positions, even at times when they were threatened with great penalties, for example under the former regime. And I am pleased to welcome Martin Stránský to the Hall of Fame, as he is a person who undoubtedly deserves our recognition. All those who have been awarded today are unique personalities and as the Governor of our region I am proud that we could honour them in this way,” said Kamal Farhan, the Governor of the Pilsen Region.
The Governor's Award for Life-Saving is announced annually by the Pilsen Region and is granted on the basis of nominations primarily from the public. This year, three individuals who selflessly saved a human life in 2023 received the award along with a financial gift of 10,000 CZK. Specifically, they are:
Libor Hess (*10 August 1973)
Jaroslav Kruml (*13 March 2007)
Jiří Koudele (*30 January 1985)
The Lifetime Contribution to the Pilsen Region Awards were presented for the second time this year. They were presented to personalities whose work and diligence have contributed to the good name of the Pilsen Region. This award for outstanding merit could only be given to those who were born in the Pilsen Region, live in it or are connected with it by their work. The awardees were selected on the basis of nominations sent in.
The silver plaques with the words of Albert Einstein “Only the life we live for others is worth living”, were presented by doc. M. A. Petr Vogel and were awarded to the following five individuals:
Bohumila Mejcharová (* 9 February 1944)
Mgr. Jiří Tomášů (*18 June 1953)
PhDr. František Frýda (*1 September 1946)
Ing. Ivo Dubský (*24 November 1951)
Ing. Jiří Lodr (*11 July 1961)
Since 2017, the Honorary Plaques for Courageous Civic Stances have been awarded to individuals who are exceptional for their courageous stances during the previous regime. The courage to speak their minds and stand firmly behind them has often caused them considerable complications, yet all the recipients of the honorary plaques have been guided by the motto of Jan Palach depicted on the plaque: “One must fight against the evil one is capable of opposing.”
This year, the 35th silver plaque with the likeness of Jan Palach will be awarded, portrayed by doc. M.A. Petr Vogel. It was presented to MUDr. Jiřina Křížková.
MUDr. Jiřina Křížková (* 21 August 1925)
The establishment of the tradition of awarding prizes during the ceremony called the Hall of Fame dates back to 2009. The leadership of the Pilsen Region at the time decided to regularly honour individuals who had dedicated their entire professional lives to commendable activities, becoming role models and sources of inspiration for others, and who had, in a broader sense, contributed to fostering mental health and the well-being of society as a whole. Up until last year, a total of 44 individuals from the fields of sports, science, and culture had been recognized.
The special prize that the awardee will receive was designed and made by Zuzana Kocourková, a student of the University West Bohemia (Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art). The personality who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame is actor and voice actor Martin Stránský.
Martin Stránský (*11 February 1970)