A clear highlight of the first day of eBF was the lecture by economist and philosopher Tomáš Sedláček, who injected a healthy dose of optimism into those doubting Europeans’ ability to withstand today’s crises. “I believe that countries like the Czech Republic, where democracy has been successfully re-exported, represent a significant hope for Europe. It is hard to find another system that could ensure peaceful and prosperous coexistence of nations. However, we must learn to stand on our own feet,” he told the audience. Our special guest’s faith was also rooted in the global reach of Czech companies in the field of green innovation.