This year’s theme, Security in a dangerous world, offers not only expert reflections on today’s global challenges but also an exceptional exhibition of wartime photographs by Ladislav Sitenský documenting the Czechoslovak RAF squadrons. Masaryk Days will also welcome a distinguished guest, Nicholas Winton Jr, who will share a personal perspective and reflect on his family’s legacy of defending human dignity and standing up to the threats of their time.
Martin Bareš, Rector of Masaryk University, explains the focus of this year’s programme: “Security today is not just a matter for the army or geopolitics. It affects our everyday lives – from protecting freedom and human dignity to society’s ability to face uncertainty and crises. We want Masaryk Days to create space for a deeper debate on how to approach security at a time when the world is changing faster than we were used to.”
The exhibition 312 and 311 Squadrons in Ladislav Sitenský’s Backlight
On the first day of Masaryk days, MU, the Technical Museum in Brno and the family of Ladislav Sitenský will open the exhibition 312 and 311 Squadrons in Ladislav Sitenský’s Backlight. The opening will take place on 3 March at 4 pm at the Technical Museum in Brno and will present a unique collection of photographs by one of the most important Czechoslovak photographers and a direct participant in the Czechoslovak resistance abroad during the Second World War.
“We are very pleased to include in this year’s exhibition plan the work of one of the most significant Czechoslovak photographers, Ladislav Sitenský. The theme was no coincidence – the Technical Museum in Brno has long focused on photographs documenting not only the technology of their time but also the historical events that shaped it,” says Josef Večeřa, Deputy Director of the Technical Museum in Brno, highlighting the exhibition’s importance.
The first day’s programme will also feature commentary by historian Vladimír Černý, a personal reflection from Adéla Kándlová, the photographer’s granddaughter and the exhibition’s dramaturge, and Nicholas Winton Jr, who will share a personal memory of his father.
“Grandfather did not want to shock people. Even in the hardest moments of war, he looked for poetry in his photographs. The backlight he loved to use gives his images both strength and sensitivity. Behind every photograph there is a human story – sometimes joyful, sometimes dramatic,” says Adéla Kándlová, recalling the uniqueness of her grandfather’s approach.
The exhibition at the Technical Museum in Brno will run from 4 March to 30 June 2026.
Debate with Czech and international experts: Security in a dangerous world
The second day of Masaryk Days, on 4 March from 4 pm, will host an interdisciplinary debate at Masaryk University on Komenského Square. Speakers will explore what security means today – not only from a military or geopolitical perspective, but also in relation to human dignity, stability and social responsibility. Experts from Masaryk University, Zinaida Bechná and Antonín Kučera, will be joined by Tomáš Klvaňa, Alexander Duleba and Šimon Pánek. This year’s guest, Nicholas Winton Jr, will offer an international perspective.
Drawing on discussions with his father, Sir Nicholas Winton, Nicholas Winton Jr will reflect on why the principles of the post-war international order appear increasingly fragile, how the assumptions behind international cooperation have changed since 1989 and whether the return of nationalism and new forms of power rivalry are linked to this weakening. He will also consider what lessons the past can offer to help us navigate the future.
Other speakers will focus on current security threats and Europe’s defence in a global context, shifting geopolitical relations and the challenges facing Europe’s security architecture and Western democracies. The debate will also address the role of trust in society, the impact of disinformation and the role of civic engagement in maintaining democratic stability. The programme is open to the public upon prior registration.
This year’s theme
Security in a dangerous world today goes beyond protection from physical threats. It also includes society’s ability to respond to uncertainty, disinformation and crises. The traditional understanding of security now extends to technological, environmental and social resilience. A key challenge lies in finding a balance between protecting individuals, preserving freedoms and strengthening shared responsibility. The debate therefore asks not only how to defend against risks, but also how to reinforce solidarity, responsibility and long-term stability in a rapidly changing world.