The exhibition “The Heroines” is a celebration of the courage, dedication, and perseverance of all the women who daringly defied the social norms of their time. It brings together portraits of some key figures in the Czech Republic and Romania who have made and continue to make important contributions to social, cultural, scientific, and economic progress. The aim is to share their impressive stories, but also to pay homage to those who fought for the world we know today—a world in which liberty and equality are recognized as fundamental rights for all social categories.

          This year the Czech Republic celebrates 100 years since the promulgation of the law by which women gained the right to vote. On this occasion, the students of the Ladislav Eutnar Faculty of Design and Arts, under the direction of Renáta Fučíková, have made a series of illustrations by way of homage to some important personalities in the history of their country. These will be exhibited alongside a selection of stories of remarkable women of Romania, from the two volumes entitled Nesupusele: 100 de femei pentru 100 de ani de Românie modernă (The untold: 100 women for 100 years of modern Romania), published in 2018 by Editura Univers, a project initiated by De Basm–The Association of Writers for Children and Teenagers in Romania. The short stories are accompanied by a series of illustrations by a group of young female professional illustrators from Romania.

     “This year, the Czech Centres celebrate women. Women whose courage, competence, inner strength, and tenacity serve as a reference point today. […] Women who were not and are not afraid to be strong in their positions, in their opinions, responsibilities, and functions – in spite of the historical circumstances, social expectations, or cultural conventions that they faced. (Ondřej Černý, Director General of the Czech Centres)