Gifts for the president: From a gold medal in hockey to a piece of tank
The gifts that Czech presidents receive from visiting foreign heads of state and on their own travels abroad are carefully catalogued and either stored or exhibited at Prague Castle. Now, for the first time ever, the administration of President Petr Pavel is showing them to the public.
The exhibition at Rožmberk Palace gives the general public the chance to view the protocol gifts that President Pavel has received on official visits since taking office in March 2023 as well as gifts of a personal nature, that he sometimes gets when he appears in public. Veronika Wolf from Prague Castle Administration says the exhibition was the president’s own idea.
"This idea came directly from the President, who wanted to show the public the gifts he receives and in a small way share them with the public. The protocol gifts that he receives from foreign dignitaries are generally of a cultural and symbolic nature. There are gifts from New Zealand, the Philippines, and Jordan, to point out just a few. There is also a piece of a tank that Petr Pavel received from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. We have small token gifts that he receives on walkabouts in Czechia, such as children’s drawings with a message or gifts from sports people such as one of the gold medals that the national hockey team won in Nagano. From Jordan we have a model of the ancient city of Petra, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. "
The gifts that the president receives are normally kept in the Prague Castle depository. This is the first time that Prague Castle has displayed them publicly. Presidential spokesman Vojtěch Šeliga explains the protocol rules that are in place:
"Officially, any gifts given to the president belong to the state. But if they are gifts like bottles of wine, the president can of course make good use of them. Often Mr. Pavel will bring them out for social events, and offer guests a glass of these excellent wines"
Many of the precious gifts given to various Czech and Czechoslovak presidents over the years can be seen at Prague Castle where they have been placed to their best advantage. This includes various precious vases and clocks or the carpets that grace the Throne Room at Prague Castle , which Czechoslovak president Edvard Beneš received from the Shah of Iran, Muhamad Pahlavi.
Another noteworthy gift on display is a mosaic depicting the patron saint of the Czech nation, St. Wenceslas, which was presented to then head of state, Vaclav Klaus, in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.
Which of the gifts are displayed at Prague Castle at a given time depends on the head of state in office, but the administration keeps records of all of them, so they can be traced and used at any time. It is said that no gift is given away or forgotten.
When a Czech head of state travels abroad, the gifts for foreign dignitaries are usually famous Czech brand products such as Bohemia crystal glass, Czech garnets, porcelain or art objects.
The exhibition titled “Gifts for the President from Near and Far” is free of charge and will last until the end of the year.
