Brno residents are invited to the Stůl ve středu (‘Table in the Middle’) event at Moravské náměstí on 30 July. This unusual celebration will allow attendees to sit together around a long table to share discussions and food with their neighbours, whether they are acquaintances or complete strangers. Admission is free and registration is not required.
Stůl ve středu will take place next Wednesday, reflecting the double meaning of the phrase. The ‘Table in the middle/on Wednesday’ is organized by the Brno-střed district in cooperation with the Piána na ulici association and the Kávéeska municipal organization.
“The table is an age-old symbol of connection,” said Ondřej Kobza, founder of Piána na ulici. “People have signed contracts and proposed marriage at tables, and family and friends gather at tables. We want the table to also connect neighbors and residents with their city. At the same time, it’s a unique way to get to know a place you’ve known your whole life in a different way. To have the opportunity to stop for a moment, sit down, and see the place with new eyes.”
Brno’s city centre district first agreed to the event last year, and it was a success. “When the Piána na ulici association approached us to repeat Stůl ve středu, we were happy to oblige and help with the preparations,” said Roman Kotěra (ODS), 3rd Deputy Mayor of Brno-střed responsible for culture. “I believe that this year’s edition will be similarly successful and will attract as many visitors as possible to one table.”
Every attendee is encouraged to bring something to the table, in a literal sense. “We want people to bake a cake at home or mix a homemade spread, bring a bottle of wine or a thermos of tea in a picnic basket and offer it to their neighbors at the table. The feast will be a table set in the spirit of entertaining oneself and others with what one buys or prepares at home,” said Kobza.
The first visitors will sit down at the set table at around 6 pm. The event will last until the evening hours. “No registration is required to participate. Admission is free. No official accompanying program has been prepared. The main program will be created by the people who arrive at Moravské náměstí,” said Tomáš Pavčík, director of Kávéeska.
