It is thirty years since the English College in Prague opened its iconic blue doors to students for the first time. So this year’s Founders’ Day, held in the beautiful setting of Pražská křižovatka, was a particularly special occasion. The whole school community came together to celebrate our Founders, Ann Lewis and Dr Martyn Bond, and also to remember our first Headmaster, Hubert Ward, who died on Easter Sunday.
The Hubert Ward Prize for Service to the School
We were treated to a wonderful evening of music and tributes, which saw many students receive prizes for their outstanding work. There was a new prize this year – The Hubert Ward Prize for Service to the School – which went to Tomáš Vachutka in Year 3, presented by our guest speaker, Vanessa Ward, Hubert Ward’s daughter. There was also a very impressive display of artwork. The highlight of the exhibition was an amazing model of the reconstructed and extended school building. It was built by our Year 3 student and aspiring architect, Ariya Man, and was complete with the roof and lower floors lifting up automatically to reveal classrooms filled with 3-D printed plastic furniture.
ECP Alumna – Eva Indruchová
It was particularly good to see many ECP graduates there. One of them, Dr Eva Indruchová, graduated in 2002 and went on to qualify as a lawyer. She has written this personal account of the evening that we are delighted to share.
Eva writes:
As a proud former student of The English College in Prague (ECP), I had the pleasure of attending the ECP Founders’ Day and celebrating the 30th anniversary of my beloved College. It was heartwarming to hear about the school’s beginnings. It all started back in the 1990s with a vision to revive the tradition of British style education in Prague, originally established in 1927 by the Prague English Grammar School, which was closed down under the Nazis, and later in 1954.
Royal Patron
The English College Foundation was then established, with President Václav Havel and His Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales, as joint Founder Patrons. I am delighted that His Majesty King Charles III has decided to continue as Patron of the ECP.
On this special occasion, we paid tribute to our Founders Ann Lewis and Dr Martyn Bond and the first Headmaster, the late Hubert Ward. His daughter, Vanessa Ward, gave a moving speech, followed by Denis Keefe, the Chairman of Governors, Dr Martyn Bond, and the third Headmaster, Peter de Voil.
British Ambassador
It was wonderful to see the support also from the British Embassy Prague, with a video message delivered by Matt Field OBE
ECP’s Legacy
Of all the schools I have attended, the English College shaped me the most. Václav Havel once said that the students of the ECP emerge “at home on the international scene”. This couldn’t be more true for me. Having lived in the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium and France, I am active in several international organisations and focus on business and international relations development. Yes, I can confirm, I feel truly at home on the international scene, and I am proud to carry the ECP legacy and spirit with me!
So thank you to everyone involved in the organisation for an excellent evening and here’s to the next thirty years.
You can watch the whole of Founders’ Day via THIS LINK
or the shorter, edited version HERE