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Nominations for the 24th annual Via Bona Awards are now open. Each year, the awards highlight inspiring stories of giving. This year, we are looking for stories of people who gave or helped others in exceptional ways during the 2020 pandemic. We will present 6 awards in the art of giving and art of engaging categories. Nominations are open until June 30, 2021.

For more than a year society has been in crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic. The media has reported primarily about the number of deaths and non-functional government anti-pandemic strategies, which has fueled the spread of fear, anger and mistrust of others. From the news reports, it might seem as if the past year was nothing but one huge crisis without any positive moments. But our experience and what we hear from our grantees tell a different story. Good things have been happening all over the country; people are leading small initiatives to change their communities for the better. Our goal with this year’s Via Bona Awards is to get the word about about these positive steps to rejuvenate society’s mood. We want to find and promote stories that show that life didn’t and hasn’t come to a complete standstill and that people have continued to help one another – despite the many obstacles that the pandemic brought. We want to share stories of hope that can inspire each and every one of us.

Anyone can be nominated for a Via Bona Award – individuals, groups of people, civic associations, non-profit organizations or companies – in other words, any person or entity which overcame obstacles to give or help others during the pandemic. Our independent selection committee will choose 6 inspiring stories: three in the art of engaging category, focusing on those who give their time and energy to improve neighborly relations, and three in the art of giving category, focusing on those who give their money or hold fundraising drives, etc. to help others. Each awardwinner will receive a grant of CZK 15,000 for the project they support. Nominations are open until June 30, 2021. The awards will be presented at a gala evening at the Residence of the US Ambassador in Prague in September 2021.

Via Foundation presented the first Via Bona Awards in May 1998 with the aim of restoring philanthropy traditions in the Czech Republic. Since then, over 1,000 stories of giving have been shared, and 140 individuals, groups and companies have been recognized for exceptional giving.

We are grateful to our 2021 Via Bona Awards supporters. Financial support has been provided by Tchibo. Our media partners are the Aktuálně.cz internet news server, Czech Radio, Czech Television, the Deník N daily newspaper, Nový Prostor newspaper and the magazine Reportér. And, as always, we are very pleased to have the US Embassy in Prague as the patron of the Via Bona Awards.

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