We are very pleased to announce that Professor Ondřej Hes, Ph.D., founder of the Eden Foundation, was awarded the Medal of Merit on the occasion of the national holiday on 28 October 2025. The award was presented by the President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel at Prague Castle and received by Ondra's wife Miroslava Hesová.
Ondra was not only a top doctor and scientist, but also a visionary who was at the heart of the Eden Foundation. Thanks to his enthusiasm, the Kateřinský potok project was created, which today is one of the most important examples of landscape restoration in the Czech Republic. This project has brought back wetlands, pools and natural habitats that protect rare species and help retain water in the landscape. Ondra's idea of "giving back to nature what belongs to it" has become a cornerstone of our work.
The state award is a confirmation of what we all knew: Ondra was an exceptional person who managed to combine science, pedagogy and love for nature into one big story. His legacy lives on - in medicine, in the landscape and in every project that the Eden Foundation implements.
Thanks to all who help keep Ondra's work alive. Kateřinský potok is just the beginning - together we continue his vision.
(Photos from the ceremony: Office of the President of the Republic - photo: Zuzana Bönisch, Tomáš Fongus.)
