The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (DofE) bronze and silver certificates were presented to 216 students from 30 cooperating educational institutions in the region.
In the Czech Republic, the programme has been inspiring young people between the ages of 14 and 24 since 1995, with 5,300 new students joining in 2023. Each participant chooses a skill, sporting activity and volunteering activity according to their interest and then pursues this for a period of time, which is linked to the completion of the bronze, silver and gold levels. The completion of the programme is followed by a team expedition.
The first graduates of the programme from the Secondary School of Industry in Brno were Richard Nečas and Hugo Pilný. Richard Nečas, this year's graduating senior, says: "I have been working as an instructor in the Brontosaurus Movement for a long time, our expedition was focused on collecting garbage around the paths we walked in the area of Rozdrojovice near Brno. We were surprised how much rubbish people throw away in this way and also what they dispose of. Richard will now continue on to the silver level, which he hopes to complete as a high school student. In college he would like to study psychology or education.
"I am very pleased that we have such skilful and active pupils and students in Brno and the whole South Moravian Region who are able and willing to work on themselves and further develop in their free time," She told Brno City Councillor for Education Irena Matonohová.
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award programme was founded by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1956 to encourage the self-development of boys and girls regardless of their background, physical ability or skill. An international association was established in 1988 to support its operation outside the UK.
The event was co-organised by the Brno City Council.
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