UHK Rector's Medal for the 3rd President of Cape Verde
Place: Hradec Králové, Author: Matyáš Strnad, OPaK UHK
The representatives of the university met on October 26, 2022, with Pedro Pires and his delegation to grant the 88 years old former president of Cape Verde the Rector's Medal.
Since 2002, Commander Pedro Pires, in his senior positions, has supported relations between UHK and the Jean Piaget University of Cape Verde. In doing so, he contributed to the development of study, professional and interpersonal contacts, which raised the level of the field of African studies at our university, the only academic workplace with such an orientation in the Czech Republic.
This is an excerpt from laudatio given by assoc. prof. Jan Klíma, who has known Pedro Pires since the mentioned year. The proposition to award the former president came from the Dean of the Philosophical Faculty UHK, Dr. Jan Prouza, the Medal itself was handed out by the Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Dr. Leona Stašová. The delegation comprised the honorary consuls of the Czech Republic in Cape Verde, Valdmiro Segredo, of Cape Verde in the Czech Republic, Vladimír Trkal, the president's advisors, and also his wife, Adélcia Barreto.
The discussion with students that preceded the ceremony focused on the president's experience with political transitions from a colonial state towards a sovereign republic.
Pedro Pires, in his acceptance speech, mentioned his gratitude to the university and said that he takes the honor in all modesty. He also thanked for the companionship that the Czech Republic (or previously Czechoslovakia) provided to the establishing state of Cape Verde. The president appreciated the act as a gesture to formally accept him to our academic society.
The reasons why Pedro Pires deserves the Rector's medal are all written in the previously mentioned laudatio, available to download in English and Portuguese.
Pedro Pires, in his acceptance speech, mentioned his gratitude to the university and said that he takes the honor in all modesty. He also thanked for the companionship that the Czech Republic (or previously Czechoslovakia) provided to the establishing state of Cape Verde. The president appreciated the act as a gesture to formally accept him to our academic society.
