Learn the history of your new home: The previous expats and their imprint on the city

Don Sparling, an expat originally from Canada and now a long-time Brno patriot, took us on a virtual walk through another chapter of the city’s history – a history you’re very much a part of, as this time, he focuses on international presence in our city.

From its very foundation in the 13th century, Brno has been a multiethnic and multilinguistic city. Over the centuries, as a city dependent on trade, it has been open and welcoming, and many of those who came here from elsewhere have played a decisive role in its development.

Don looks at the successive waves of (im)migrants that have washed up on Brno’s shores during the past 800 years – the city’s always had an unusual ability to absorb new trends from abroad. He also mentions some of the fascinating “outsiders” who’ve left their mark on the city, and last but not least, he ponders the current state of Brno as a thriving international, multicultural city. Did you know that the number of foreigners in Brno grew from 5 to 50,000 in 50 years?

Watch the recording to learn about the four (or five?) ethnic groups that founded the city; the role of Italians, Germans or Austrians in shaping what we see round us today; and how the concept of tolerance came to be embodied physically in public monuments.

Watch the recording (for free) at facebook.com/BrnoExpatCentre or just play the video below.