24.11.2025
The 150th birth anniversary of Thomas Bata, which will be on 3 April 2026, will be commemorated in the coming years 2026 and 2027 in the UNESCO Calendar of Anniversaries – a list of internationally recognized days and years that commemorate significant events and anniversaries of important personalities. Every two years, each member state has the opportunity to nominate one or two anniversaries for inclusion in the annual list.
The UNESCO General Conference, which took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, at the turn of October and November, decided that UNESCO would symbolically link its name to the 150th birth anniversary of Tomas Bata and the 100th birth anniversary of the writer Arnošt Lustig. Both represent extraordinary recognition of the importance of Czech social and cultural heritage.
“The legacy of Tomas Bata is of extraordinary importance, especially in terms of its relevance to the present day. Bata’s ethical approach to business and to addressing issues affecting society as a whole is timeless and continues to be an inspiration. We have decided to commemorate the important anniversary of Tomas Bata not only by what he achieved, but especially by how we can build on his ideas and actions,” said Gabriela Končitíková, the director of the Thomas Bata Foundation, who, together with her team, is preparing a whole series of interesting events that will commemorate the legacy of Tomas Bata across the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The nomination of Tomas Bata for inclusion in the prestigious UNESCO list was submitted at the end of 2024 by the Thomas Bata Foundation together with the Statutory City of Zlín and in cooperation with other organizations.
