This Saturday, right beneath the statue of St. Václav on Wenceslas Square in Prague, brilliant music by many different bands will be played in response to the recent remarks by the Czech President stating that disabled pupils should be segregated in the schools. The concert will take place on 21 February at 15:00 and is free.
"As a result of ‘certain statements’ by the President there is now unheard-of interest in the processes of inclusion and integration in the Czech Republic. That is why The Tap Tap decided to hold a concert called ‘We’ve made it a little further’ (Už jsme trochu dál). We will also introduce many guests who represent the best results of inclusion and integration in the Czech Republic," says Šimon Ornest, leader of the The Tap Tap.
Concert organizers are calling on people to spread the word among their friends and help attract at least 10 000 fans to Wenceslas Square. In addition to The Tap Tap, moderators Láďa Angelovič and Martin Zach will introduce the best examples of the inclusion and integration of disabled people in the Czech Republic.
According to the official web portal of Prague City Hall, those guests will include the athlete and musician Arnošt Doskočil, opera singer Daniela Valíčková and singer Radek Žalud. Famous artists who have confirmed their participation includ Jan Haubert, Visací zámek and Xindl X.
The Tap Tap rhythmic ensemble was established in 1998 by Šimon Ornest, a musician, pedagogue and singer who still leads it today. The group is comprised of physically disabled students and graduates of the Jedlička Institute for the Disabled in Prague, who regularly perform at Czech music festivals (such as Mezi ploty, Rock for People, and the Trutnov Open Air Music Festival) as well as abroad (in Brussels, Madrid, Moscow and Warsaw).
One of The Tap Tap’s greatest successes was their performance during the Summer Olympic Games in London in 2012. The band also recently performed at Prague Spring, organized the first annual Pojď dál (Go Further) festival, and contributed to the charity event "Concert against the End of the World" (Koncert proti konci světa).
