The church persists for centuries, the people around it change. They come and leave… the church can become the center of life again. Our project double-goal 1) make a public competition of architectural designs, including its promotion and accompanying events (volunatry works, concerts), choose one of them by public vote and submit it for elaboration, 2) through this action connect people, create new community relations.

A part of Hajnice village - Horni Žďár (Sudetten), East Bohemia, Czech Rep.

Horní Žďár is a good example of moving families from towns to villages, it´s mixed group of people working in local industry and people commuting to work even in capitol (teachers, managers). It intertwines the needs of families who have spent their entire lives in a given locality and families who bring "novelties". These relationships are fragile as people´s demands are. Relationships are also influenced by historical developments. After the forcible expulsion of the Germans after WW II., resettlement took place, but often by people without a closer connection to the local environment. Horni Žďár is without civic amenities, there is "nothing", no school, no shop...Our aim is to support the community, find the way to forgiveness. The church is both a place and a mean.

We are going to work with all people in the place. The aim is to prepare the revitalization plan (in variants) and introduce this plan to public. After the public confirmation of the projects one of variants will be selected for realization.
The project and connected procedures will be accompanied by volunteer days in the church area, cultural events in the as yet unrepaired church and information campaigns (based on art work of local children) located on the website and in the church area.
Groups of people: mainly old and new settlers of Horní Žďár, visitors, cooperating "origin" Germans, cooperating volunteers, proffesionals

The church restoration project will be presented to the citizens, they will evaluate the submitted author's projects for the revitalization of the church.
To support and present revitalization and projects, cultural events for the general public will be held directly in the church and its nearby to support the idea, voluntary works will be provided, maintenance of the flowering cemetery (this was created thanks to care in the previous 2 years). The plans for restoration will be presented and the author's proposals will be subject to public debate.
Specific phases: negotiating a contract with the municipality for the implementation of the project, announcing an author's church restoration projects competition, public debate on proposals, selecting the best proposal, project assignment.

The community gains a relationship with the place. Thanks to the care of a common place, it will find identity, cohesion, belonging. At the same time, the restoration of a regionally important historical monument will be prepared, which will strengthen the community in terms of position in the region. This will then bring more visitors, enliven the place, allow for further life development and participation. In a year we will see each other at a concert in the church, where we will celebrate the existence of a revitalization project together and we will rejoice past events and voluntary activities.

Restoring a historic site to the needs of modern times is a way to connect people. The revitalization project will be subject to public debate, the author's proposals/projects will be presented to the public and a common solution will be sought. Thanks to this participation, it will be possible to resolve conflicts of opinion and at the same time seek common interest. Originally a gothic church is a neutral space where different groups can meet. The interest in the church as a place will make it possible to bridge the relationship between the old and new settlers, between the descendants and the contemporaries.

I want...to restore something that was functional and was there long before us, to show that some things have a deeper meaning, that through revitalization relations are resolved...that sounds can break borders

cultural events 5000EUR
public relation 4000EUR
voluntary work - material 10000EUR
project proposals reward 6000EUR
project 11000EUR
personnel cost 4000EUR

Is our idea in or out?