04.09.2026
This year’s 10th anniversary edition of the Bata Week Festival, organised by the Thomas Bata Foundation, is subtitled ‘The Desire to Create’ and forms part of the Bata 150 project commemorating the 150th anniversary of Tomas Bata’s birth. The uniqueness of the whole event is further underlined by the fact that the anniversary has been included on the prestigious UNESCO list.
“Creating does not just mean building houses, setting up companies or coming up with new ideas. We can also create ourselves – our habits, our way of thinking, our relationship with time, our own health and the people around us,” says Gabriela Končitíková, director of the Thomas Bata Foundation, who explains that this year’s Bata Week Festival will present Tomas Bata and his legacy from various, often lesser-known perspectives.
From 21 to 25 September, the festival will feature a total of five events. Gabriela Končitíková will focus on Tomas Bata’s personal transformation and his relationship with time. The historian Zdeněk Pokluda will explore how Tomas Bata built his reputation through advertising, public image and support for culture. Renowned lecturer Rostislav Václavek will explore the themes of breathing, inner balance and resilience, whilst nutrition expert Petr Havlíček will focus on healthy habits and their relationship to our self-esteem.
“The festival’s 10th anniversary edition will thus bridge the gap between history and the present day and highlight one of the key ideas in Bata’s legacy, namely that the desire to create does not begin with the things we build around us, but with the individual themselves,” adds Jakub Malovaný, project manager at the Thomas Bata Foundation, who notes that, alongside a range of interesting lectures, there will also be a series of guided tours of the Bata Villa.
Tickets for the lectures and tours can be purchased at a discounted price on the Thomas Bata Foundation website in the ‘Events’ section.
FULL PROGRAMME
21 September 2026
15:00
Guided tour of Bata Villa
Visit the unique place where the entrepreneur and visionary Tomas Bata lived with his family. The villa is a significant landmark in the heart of Zlín; the energy of its owner is still felt there today, and for many visitors it is a source of inspiration.
17:00
How Tomas Bata built himself up
Lecture by Gabriela Končitíková. Tomas Bata’s transformation was not the result of a single defining moment, but of long-term self-improvement. How did the famous entrepreneur change his habits, his way of thinking, and his relationship with his own body, work and time? And why is it precisely the ability to consciously shape oneself that ranks among the most fascinating aspects of his life story?
22 September 2026
17:00
How did Tomas Bata manage his time?
A lecture by Gabriela Končitíková. The lecture will focus on the value Tomas Bata placed on time – both his own and that of others. How did he plan, set priorities, manage the speed of decision-making, and why did he consider good time management to be one of the fundamental conditions for a successful life?
23 September 2026
15:00
Guided tour of Bata Villa
Visit the unique place where the entrepreneur and visionary Tomas Bata lived with his family. The villa is a significant landmark in the heart of Zlín; the energy of its owner is still preserved within it today, and for many visitors it remains an inspiring place.
17:00
Breath as a path to oneself
Lecture by Rosťa Václavek. In his lecture, Rosťa Václavek will focus on the power of conscious breathing and its impact on our body, mind and day-to-day functioning. He will demonstrate how proper breathing techniques can help manage stress, restore inner balance and create space for greater calm, focus and resilience.
24 September 2026
17:00
How did Tomas Bata become famous?
A lecture by Zdeněk Pokluda. This lecture will explore how Tomas Bata managed to build a reputation known throughout the world. What role did advertising play in this? Why did he place such importance on his own reputation and the company’s good name? And how did his support for culture also help him build a relationship with the public?
25 September 2026
15:00
Guided tour of Bata Villa
Visit the unique place where the entrepreneur and visionary Tomas Bata lived with his family. The villa is a significant landmark in the heart of Zlín; the energy of its owner is still felt there today, and for many visitors it is a source of inspiration.
17:00
Healthy habits as the foundation of self-worth
Lecture by Petr Havlíček. In his lecture, Petr Havlíček will focus on how everyday habits influence not only our physical and mental health, but also our relationship with ourselves. He will show that self-care, discipline and small everyday decisions can be an important path to building healthy self-worth.
