The Embassy of the Czech Republic invites parents and guardians from around the United States to submit a short video of their child or children teaching or explaining a subject, topic, or custom of their choice related to the Czech Republic. The Czech Embassy will collect said videos in honor of John Amos Comenius, the Father of Modern Education, and share them with the public during its fall Mutual Inspirations Festival 2020 - John Amos Comenius.

John Amos Comenius

The humanist John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) was a great educator from Moravia in today’s Czech Republic. He established modern educational methods and promoted universal education. He produced the first children's picture book. As his methods were respected and influential even in his time, Comenius was offered the prominent position of President of Harvard University, which he declined. Still, his influence in America endures as his outline of a system of schools is the precise counterpart of the existing American system today.

Teach me!

The Czech Embassy invites children up to 15 years of age to teach or explain in Czech or English a subject, topic, or custom related to the Czech Republic on a horizontally recorded video, no longer than one minute. For example, children may talk on the recorded video about geography or places they visited in the Czech Republic, Czech customs, language, national dress, food, music, or dance, famous Czech personalities such as scientists or athletes, Czech inventions, and so on. The Czech Embassy will utilize the videos on its websites and social media during the fall Mutual Inspirations Festival 2020 - John Amos Comenius.  

Mutual Inspirations Festival 2020 - John Amos Comenius

The Mutual Inspirations Festival (MIF) is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, focusing on the mutual inspirations between Czech and American cultures and featuring each year in September through November an extraordinary Czech personality who has greatly influenced and inspired others through his or her work. In its eleventh year, the festival will celebrate John Amos Comenius, the Father of Modern Education, and those inspired by him and the desire to learn. To learn more about past festivals, please visit www.mutualinspirations.org.

The Submissions

The Embassy of the Czech Republic reserves the right to use its discretion to select, edit, and utilize the submitted recorded videos. The Embassy will utilize and post the best recorded videos on its website (www.mutualinspirations.org) and social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) during its celebration of the fall Mutual Inspirations Festival 2020 - John Amos Comenius. Photo credit will be duly accredited to each video whenever it is posted or published.

Submission of Materials

●  Videos must be recorded horizontally at the highest resolution possible for submission. Videos must not be longer than one minute. Each child’s voice must be heard clearly. Please no background music or noise. The child must teach in Czech or English. Videos must be sent to the email address at czechembassypr@gmail.com, no later than April 30, 2020. For larger files, please send via dropbox. Only one video may be submitted per child.  

●  Please put “Teach Me!” in the subject line of your email. Please include your first and last name and contact information. Please include the first name only of your child or children and his or her age(s) as well as a one sentence description of what the child or children are teaching about the Czech Republic.

Terms of Submission

•  All videos and other content or information submitted to the Embassy of the Czech Republic shall become the property of the Embassy of the Czech Republic, and the Embassy shall have no obligation to preserve, return, or otherwise make available any videos or information so submitted.

• The individual understands that because the Embassy of the Czech Republic becomes the owner of all submitted videos, the Embassy of the Czech Republic and its diplomats, employees, successors, and assigns may use, reproduce, edit, display, transmit, modify, publish, and otherwise make use of the submitted videos and descriptions in any and all print, internet, media, and media social outlets, without compensation to the individual of any kind.

• By submitting any video, text, or other content or information to the Czech Embassy, the individual hereby represents and warrants that the submitted video(s) and description does not infringe on any copyright or trademark, any rights of privacy or publicity of any person, or any other right of any third party. The individual hereby represents and warrants that he or she has the right to transfer the video(s) and description to the Embassy of the Czech Republic free and clear of any claims or encumbrances.

• The individual hereby agrees to hold the Embassy of the Czech Republic and its diplomats, employees, successors, and assigns harmless from and against—and hereby waive any right to pursue—any claims of any nature arising in connection with the Czech Embassy’s use of the submitted video(s) and description(s).

 

Contact Information

The Embassy of the Czech Republic is located at 3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA. Its Public Diplomacy Department may be reached via czechembassypr@gmail.com.