Zlín Region will contribute half a million for the memorial of John Paul II.

Zlín - The Zlín Region will contribute half a million crowns for the construction of a memorial that will commemorate the visit of Pope John Paul II in April 1990. The memorial will be built by the municipality of Tupesy in the Uherské Hradiště region, where the Pope landed by helicopter 30 years ago and then traveled from there to the neighboring Velehrad. The contribution was approved today by the regional representatives.

The memorial, made of granite and cast metal, will be created in the workshop of academic sculptor Otmar Oliva. It will be located at the bike path between Tupesy and Velehrad. "The memorial will have a significantly regional dimension. The visit of John Paul II was not just a church visit, but also a state visit, which directed the course of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic to where it is heading today," said the mayor of Tupesy, Oldřich Vávra (KDU-ČSL), today.

According to him, the cost of building the memorial will be around 1.2 million crowns. Besides the region, the Buchlov microregion will allocate 200,000 crowns for its establishment, and the remaining part will be covered by the municipality. The memorial will stand in a public space near the football field where the then Pope landed by helicopter on April 22, 1990. "It is a place traditionally visited by pilgrims. It will serve as a symbol not only for us but also for future generations," Vávra stated.

The contribution for the construction of the memorial was supported today by 25 out of 39 present regional representatives, including Governor Jiří Čunek (KDU-ČSL). "I am convinced that if there are no crosses here, there will be crescents," the governor stated before the vote.

On the other hand, opposition representative Taťána Valentová Nersesjan (ČSSD) criticized the financial support from the region. "The church should have at least a significant share in financing the memorial. Public funds are currently needed elsewhere," said Valentová Nersesjan. She mentioned, for example, regional healthcare.

According to Vávra, the memorial will take the form of a five-meter obelisk. It is expected to be completed by July next year at the latest, and a resting place will also be created along the bike path from Tupesy to Velehrad.