On Tuesday 26 November 2024, aboard the electric boat Anna Carolina, owned by Prague Boats, a festive press conference was held to launch the project VLTAVA — Famous & Navigable 2025. This exceptional event brought together prominent representatives of cultural institutions, members of the state administration and the expert public, in order to introduce this ambitious year-long project celebrating the Vltava river to the wider public.
The conference highlighted that the year 2025 would be dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the first performance of Bedřich Smetana's symphonic poem Vltava. The project, organised by the National Heritage Institute with the support of important partners, will recall the cultural, historical and social significance of the Vltava as a national symbol. The centrepiece of the year-long programme will be a large exhibition in the Prague Castle Riding School, offering visitors a unique view of the artistic, technical and historical treasures associated with the river.
The boat Anna Carolina provided the ideal setting for the meeting thanks to its modern and environmentally friendly design, which resonated beautifully with one of the project's aims — to support the sustainable use of cultural and natural resources connected with the Vltava. The boat's electric propulsion symbolises the harmony between modern technology and a traditional respect for nature, which was also the main theme of the discussions during the event.
Among the speakers was Naďa Goryczková, Director General of the National Heritage Institute, who emphasised that the project VLTAVA — Famous & Navigable is more than just a celebration of an anniversary. “We want to draw attention to the cultural heritage of the Vltava and its potential to become a European Cultural Route. The project links music, history, art and everyday life into one inspiring whole,” said Goryczková. An important contribution was also made by Minister of Transport Martin Kupka, who highlighted the importance of the Vltava not only as a cultural phenomenon, but also as a key transport route with potential for further development.
The event also offered a space for the exchange of views and experiences between the participating institutions, which included the National Gallery Prague, the National Museum, the Czech Philharmonic and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. Details were shared about the planned exhibitions, concerts and other activities that will bring the story of the Vltava closer to the wider public, both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
The press conference was a symbolic start to a year that will be devoted not only to remembering the past, but above all to the future of the Vltava as a cultural and natural route. Anna Carolina, with its quiet cruise along the river, lent the entire event a unique atmosphere that perfectly captured the project's theme — the union of history, nature and innovation.
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