On 25–26 March 2025, the official launch of the CirkArena project took place in Vendryně near Třinec – a unique centre for advancing the circular economy in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Although the project has been running for several months, this moment – when representatives of research, industry, public administration, and academia came together in person – was especially important. CirkArena gained faces, energy, and a renewed collective impulse for the future.
The event, as well as the entire project, is organised and coordinated by Materiálový a metalurgický výzkum s.r.o. (MMV). The launch was opened by Jakub Švrček, Executive Director of MMV, who remarked:
“At MMV we have been working on the CirkArena project for some time, but meeting our partners and supporters in person was crucial – it confirmed that we are surrounded by people who want to change the future of the region. I would like to thank everyone who came, shared their experience, and supported us in moving forward. It is great to be part of such cooperation.”
On the second day, the opening was joined by Jan Rafaj, President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, who highlighted the project’s importance for industrial transformation and the strong link between research and practice.
Participants included representatives of the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Regional Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic, and the Moravian-Silesian Region. The project’s architectural concept was presented by architect Jiří Fiala, while expert sessions were led by research partners from MMV, VSB–Technical University of Ostrava (VSB–TUO), Tomas Bata University in Zlín (UTB), and the Institute of Chemical Processes of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague (ICPF CAS).
CirkArena is a joint effort of leading research organisations – alongside MMV, the project’s research content is shaped by CTU, UTB, ICPF CAS, VSB–TUO, and Brno University of Technology (BUT). The educational and awareness-raising activities are developed in cooperation with the Institute of Circular Economy (INCIEN), SOBIC, and the Czech Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry. The consortium also includes the Statutory City of Třinec, the Regional Development and Cooperation Council in Třinec, and the Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre Ostrava (MSIC).
The official launch marked a major milestone in the journey of a project that has the potential to influence the future of the entire region and the approach to resources across Europe. We are glad that we could meet in person and share the enthusiasm and vision that unites us.
Thank you for being part of it – and for staying with us on this journey.
