If you ask artificial intelligence which conferences in the Czech Republic are worth attending—and specify that you are interested in those that feel “fresh” and spread inspiring ideas—you won’t get many results. But you can rely on one of them always being Melting Pot in Ostrava, which hosts its own stage each year as part of the Colours of Ostrava festival.
This year, four experts from the Solvo Institute entered the “melting pot” armed with data and insights from their own research project, Resilience. They traveled to Ostrava as a team consisting of Solvo founder Ivana Tykač, former Czech National Bank governor Miroslav Singer, writer and coach David Shorf (serving as moderator), and guest expert Jakub Landovský (the government’s special envoy for NATO commitments).
Together, they presented research that—unlike others with a similar focus—examines resilience at the level of the individual. After all, only a society made up of resilient individuals can function as a resilient whole.
David Shorf opened by framing the discussion within the context of extreme scenarios that could affect Czech society. “We live in uncertain times, when we cannot rule out blackouts, climate disasters, wars, or epidemics,” he said at the outset. He outlined a model apocalyptic situation in which the entire system collapses within days. Electricity fails, people begin looting, there is no way to refuel, medicines run out, the streets become unsafe, diseases spread… In precisely such circumstances, those who are sufficiently resilient will be able to take care of themselves and their loved ones. They will know how to drive a tractor (if nothing else is available), shoot a crossbow (if hunting becomes necessary), communicate in German or English (if required for survival), remain psychologically stable, and maintain the physical fitness needed to reach safety. This practical example drew the audience in and succinctly explained why maximizing resilience is essential.
Miroslav Singer followed with an explanation of the eight dimensions that, according to Solvo, together form resilience as the institute measures it: physical, psychological, values, skills, adaptability, material security, social cohesion, and trust in institutions.
Ivana Tykač then took over, adding how Solvo developed a resilience index that anyone can measure online. She gave the data a human dimension by speaking about the importance of raising resilient children and sharing a few vivid anecdotes, including how she managed a failed pig slaughter.
Jakub Landovský naturally built on the previous speakers, recounting a pivotal encounter with an injured roe deer after a car collision and the reasons that later led him to join a hunting association. He concluded—just before audience questions—with an insightful analysis of the risks posed by today’s uncertain geopolitical environment. What else could the audience expect from a man who once served as the Czech ambassador to NATO
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