Prague to observe Month for the Faculty in wake of tragic shooting

In response to the tragic shooting at Charles University's Faculty of Arts, an initiative named Month for the Faculty (Měsíc pro fakultu) is set to take place on Jan Palach Square in Prague throughout the month of January. Charles University announced the initiative through its website on Friday.

This Month for the Faculty seeks to provide a space for both the academic community and the public to come to terms with the horrifying incident that unfolded shortly before the Christmas holidays.

The initiative aims to gradually renew the faculty community and provide a platform for expressing grief over the course of four weeks. The tragic event, which resulted in the most devastating mass shooting in the history of the Czech Republic, has left a profound impact on the university community.

The first event in this month-long initiative is slated to be a candlelight procession titled Transmission of the Light, scheduled for Thursday, January 4. Commencing at 1:00 p.m. from the Carolinum, the historic seat of the university on Ovocný trh, the procession will proceed to Jan Palach Square.

Participants will carry candles, and a commemorative fire will be lit at the square and maintained throughout the month. The current place of worship at the Carolinum, adorned with candles and flowers, will also be transferred to the Faculty of Arts building during the procession. These candles will later be used to create a memorial object for a dedicated memorial site.

Representatives of student associations at Charles University have taken on the responsibility of organizing the procession. Further events are in the planning stages, and ongoing updates will be provided on the website of Charles University. Individuals interested in participating in the preparations are encouraged to contact the organizers via email.

To facilitate coping with the tragic event, the faculty has decided to cancel classes until the end of the winter semester (January 12). While the examination period will proceed according to the academic year schedule, attestations and state final exams will be voluntary for Faculty of Arts students.

The main faculty building on Jan Palach Square will remain closed until at least the end of January, allowing the community to collectively grieve, reflect, and work towards healing in the aftermath of this unprecedented incident.