What's happening at the Foundation

The Thomas Bata Prize

Revealing a new tomb slab of Tomas J. Bata at The Forest Cemetry in Zlin

On 18 September 2009, one day after the day when Tomas J. Bata would be celebrating his 95th birhtday, his wife Sonja Bata revealed a new tomb slab within the grave of his father Tomas Bata and his mother Marie Batova at The Forest Cemetry in Zlin.

This commemorative meeting was further attended by

Ing. Pavel Velev, Managing Director of the Thomas Bata Foundation,

JUDr. Stanislav Knotek, Member of the Administrative Board of the Thomas Bata Foundation,

Miroslav Šenkýř, Deputy Mayor of the Town of Zlin,

Ing. Svatopluk Jabůrek, Chairman of the Bata School of Work Graduates' Club,

Miroslav Hovořák,, director of B.F.P., Lesy a statky Tomáše Bati
members of the Bata School of Work Graduates' Club.

A meeting to mark the 1st anniversary of the death of Tomáš J. Bata

On 1 September 2009 a commemorative meeting was organised to mark the first anniversary of the death of Tomáš J. Bata.

The meeting was attended by (left to right):

Ing. Michal Janský - General Director of Bata, a.s.

Ing. Pavel Velev - Managing Director of the Thomas Bata Foundation

DVM. Stanislav Mišák - Governor of The Zlin Region

Irena Ondrová - Mayor of the Town of Zlín

Judr. Stanislav Knotek - Member of the Administrative Board of the Thomas Bata Foundation

prof. Petr Sáha - Tomas Bata University

The Message of Thomas Bata regarding the Economic Depression

Where are the roots of the economic depression?

The world lived too long relying on disproportionately high economic figures. Businessmen from major countries got used to long rows of nulls in their books. They preferred not selling to selling cheaper. The current situation is an evidence of natural economic laws pushing with their weight life on the soil of reality.

How to resist an economic depression?

Through work. During a crisis the work efforts must be doubled at all cost until we finally find a gound, where the customer may buy and the business thus grow. Entrepreneurs and responsible economic leaders must be determined, self-confident and optimistic. They have to realize that nobody else will solve their troubles and that they cannot escape them.

Protectionism?

This contradiction between theory and practice rests in that laws and political interventions will much rather make inefficient entrepreneurs from efficient ones than the opposite. Incompetent entrepreneurs, who managed to convince politicians that it is in the interest of the state to protect their incompetency, are hiding behind protectionism.

The thing is to make a lifelong occupation from business and trading, not only an opportunity to rob people for several years and then retire.

Major European countries need men, who are affraid neither of the anger of entrepreneurs, who will be forced to count on loosing a part of their capital, nor of the curses of millions of workers, who will be forced to temporarily put up with lower wages. Such intervention in all countries is the only means to stabilizing economic conditions of those countries, reduction of prices, increase of wages and will result not only in a boom of entrepreneurship, but the entire Europe and humankind will benefit.

Once you, entrepreneurs, achieve wealth and power through your business, remember the words of Jesus: "The one, who wants to be the most powerful among you, let be your servant". Remember that your powers, abilities belong to the public. Remember that property, circulating money in your business have about the same importance for your colleagues as your blood in your body has for you.

Tomáš Baťa died tragically 77th years ago.

Tomáš Baťa died during aviation disaster 12. July 1932. Representatives of Thomas Bata Foundation, Club of Bata alumni,city Zlin, Zlin Region and Tomas Bata University reminded his memory in front of the statue in Zlin.

The 2009 Wood Scultpure Symposium ”WOOD 2009”

Etiquette for university students

A course (in Czech) for students of the Tomas Bata University focusing on social behaviour and dining. The course discusses the accepted norms of introductions, contacts, telephone conversations, dress, hand movements, speech, table etiquette.

Lecturers: Mgr. Jaroslav Divoký, an expert on hotels and gastronomy

Ing. Pavel Velev. Executive Director of The Thomas Bata Foundation

Computer courses

Beginners' course: Introduction to computers, basic Windows, common operations in Word and Excel programs, browsing the internet and sending/receiving emails.

1 week 2 hours (120 minutes), a total of 12 hours, price: 590, - CZK

Pre-intermediate course: introduction to Outlook, specialized Word functions (Mail Merge, stops, tabs, text specialties, complex tables), specialized Excel functions (inserting pictures and diagrams, graphs, sorting, filters).

1 week 2 hours (120 minutes), a total of 12 hours, price: 890, - CZK

All classes are in Czech.

Guided Tours of the Bata Villa

Customized tours of the villa are offered to schools, businesses and private groups, with a special commentary on the life of Tomas Bata and the history of the Bata company. Additional features might include screenings of vintage films, documentaries and ad campaigns produced by the Filmových Ateliérů Baťa (FAB - Bata studios).

There is no charge for school groups.

Call +420 577 219 083 or send an email to book a tour or lecture.

Tomáš Baťa commemorative stamps

A set of commemorative stamps issued in 2006 to mark

the 130th anniversary of the birth of Tomas Bata.

Price: 499, - CZK

Call +420 577 219 083 or send an email to order.

Click here to see other recent publications from the Foundation.

The Thomas Bata Foundation Library and Publications

The Foundation's library offers a comprehensive collection of books and

periodicals relating to Tomas Bata and the Bata company for study and

research.