Industrial and technological development and innovation are closely tied to how people feel their creativity is received. Mikov also contributes to an active and vibrant social life—one in which such new ideas are born—by supporting interesting projects and talented individuals.
The most high-profile recent event directly initiated by Mikov was the Nožíry Festival in August. These festivities brought not only legends of Czech and Czechoslovak soccer and representatives of local clubs and organizations to the Mikulášovice swimming pool and soccer stadium, but also distinguished guests from the Czech Army.
In the presence of General Lenka Šmerdová, who, as part of the army’s command structure, is responsible, among other things, for the care of war veterans, attendees were able to watch demonstrations of knife-fighting techniques and examine the equipment of an elite chemical unit from Liberec. All of this was made possible thanks to Mikov’s long-standing partnership with the Czech Army; the company systematically supports this fund with proceeds from the sale of its special edition “War Veteran” knives.
It is precisely this systematic approach and the positive impact on the immediate community and the town that serve as the guiding principle by which Mikov decides which activities to financially support. In fact, every visitor to Mikulášovice can see this for themselves when they visit the Museum of Knife-Making Tradition and the knife shop in the Municipal Information Center building.
The exhibition on cutlery and small-scale industrial production in the Šluknov region—established and developed at the company’s expense—features many unique exhibits and attracts thousands of tourists to the town every year. These tourists not only benefit local small businesses but also spread positive awareness of Mikulášovice both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
Although Mikov obviously cannot single-handedly change the town’s social climate, it feels a sense of responsibility for it and also helps with other activities, which we’ll discuss next time.