The COLUMN team at Charles University, Prague invites you to share your thoughts and experiences in conversations about:

• Colonial Heritage
• African Collection in European museums
• Difficult histories and their representation today

We are creating a space for dialogue and reflection before an artistic intervention and educational installation planned for 2027.

Register to join.

What will we be discussing?

You do not need to have any prior knowledge of the topic. The only requirement for participation is a willingness to discuss and an openness to new information and other people’s opinions. During our sessions, we will provide stories and materials for further discussion to ensure we all start from the same place. We want to explore, for example:

1. When you hear that a museum holds plaster casts of people’s faces made to document ‘racial differences’, what is your initial reaction — and where does that reaction come from?
2. How should we respond to the way in which museum objects were acquired from African or other non-European communities?
3. What do you think these objects are exactly? Historical documents? Art? Evidence of a crime? Or something else?

Why get involved?

1. Your voice will have a real impact: your reflections will directly inform an exhibition and educational installation planned for 2027 at the Didakticon.
2. No prior expertise is needed as the discussions are built around concrete examples and specific cases, making them accessible to participants with limited experience of the topic.
3. A safe space to think out loud: the meetings follow principles for ethically working with difficult topics, offering space for active listening and reflection.
4. Meet people and build relationships: you will join a stable group to explore a meaningful question together over three sessions.
5. A shared experience on the spot. Together, we will take a guided English-language tour at the Hrdlička Museum of Man to encounter the collection first-hand before discussing it.
6. Be part of an international project: COLUMN brings together universities, artists and designers from Europe and its former colonies.

The only two conditions for taking part are the motivation to engage in dialogue and the willingness to listen in English.

Organisational Details

• Where: Prague city centre (exact venue details will be provided to confirmed participants)
• Smal group discussions: 10–12 participants
• Format: three sessions with the same group
• Language: English or tell us your preferred language, we’ll provide an interpreter if needed.

Sign Up
Interested in joining? Fill in the short registration form and we will get back to you with all the details. Or send an email to marketa.krizova@ff.cuni.cz

 

Session	Date (Thursday)	Time	Note
Focus group 1	23 September 2026	5:30–7:00 pm
Focus group 2	30 September 2026	4:00–4:45 pm	Joint visit to the Hrdlička Museum of Man (English-language guided tour), followed by transfer
		5:30–7:00 pm	Focus group discussion
Focus group 3	7 October 2026	5:30–7:00 pm

Because we are building one stable group across all three meetings, we kindly ask you to take part in all sessions if possible.