23.03.2026
The legendary Bata store on Prague’s Wenceslas Square hosted the official press conference at which the Thomas Bata Foundation launched the “BATA 150” anniversary year. Over the next seven months, this extensive project will showcase the life, work, and timeless philosophy of Tomas Bata across the Czech Republic and Slovakia through a diverse program of various events.
In addition to the director of the Thomas Bata Foundation, Gabriela Končitíková, and the project manager, Jakub Malovaný, the press conference was also attended by the actor and singer Tomáš Klus, actors David Suchařípa and Petr Vacek, economist and director of the Václav Havel Library Tomáš Sedláček, and entrepreneurs Stanislav Martinec and Miroslav Hofman. They all shared with the journalists present their connection to Bata legacy and the values that Tomas Bata upheld.
READ WHAT’S ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS:
FORBES LIFE: Live like Bata, eat like Bata. The legacy of a business legend comes to life in books and on stage
Innovator and visionary Tomas Bata, whose principles are still applied by some companies today, would have celebrated his 150th birthday in April. The anniversary of the Zlín entrepreneur, who brought about significant systemic changes not only in the field of shoe manufacturing but also a new philosophy for the development of society, will be commemorated by conferences, debates, lectures, exhibitions, new books, and a musical at the Kampa Museum starring Tomáš Klus.
IDNES.CZ: Bata’s 150th anniversary celebrated with a roadshow and a musical. Klus would like to clear his brother’s name
April marks 150 years since the birth of the prominent shoemaker and industrialist Tomas Bata. A year-long commemorative event will bring conferences and public discussions to Czech cities about his still-relevant approaches to business and working with people. The story of the family empire will also be adapted for the stage at the Kampa Museum’s Summer Stage in the musical The Bata Clan.
AKTUÁLNĚ.CZ: The musical The Bata Clan and a cookbook. A series of events will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Bata’s birth
The project Bata:150 will commemorate the 150th anniversary of entrepreneur Tomas Bata’s birth throughout 2026 with conferences, books, an original musical, lectures, and exhibitions. The series of events marking the anniversary of the founder of the shoe empire, which falls on 3 April, will kick off in March in Zlín with a presentation of Marie Bata’s Cookbook.
IROZHLAS.CZ: Bata would have celebrated his 150th birthday this year. “Anyone can allow his words permeate his/her life,” says the foundation director
It all began with a shoe. But what started as a family shoemaking business eventually grew into a world-class enterprise. Tomas Bata, a native of Zlín, would have celebrated his 150th birthday this year; his way of thinking about business, as well as about humanity in general, will be commemorated across the country through lectures, theatre performances, and an exhibition.
ČESKÉ NOVINY: Year-long project commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the entrepreneur Tomas Bata
The year-long project Bata:150 will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the entrepreneur Tomas Bata through conferences, books, an original musical, lectures, and exhibitions. A series of events marking the anniversary of the founder of the shoe empire, which falls on 3 April, will kick off in March in Zlín with a presentation of Marie Bata’s Cookbook. The first major event will be the “Bata Forum – Paths to Responsible Leadership” conference on 16 April at Žofín in Prague. Gabriela Končitíková, the director of the Thomas Bata Foundation, informed the journalists of this today.
