We participated in this nationwide event for the first time in 2018, and this year we were the first in Jihlava to plant a commemorative fairy tree. The tradition of planting them dates back to 2005 – the 200th anniversary of the birth of H. Ch. Andersen. In 2023 the event is in its 23rd year.

First, there were several names in the game, such as Song, Péťa, Eternal or Girl Flower. Finally, Hanka suggested that the name of the tree should be made up of the first letters of the first names of all the participants. That's how the name Tajemná žij (Mysterious live) was born. But we still had the letter H left. What about it? The girls thought to look for H in words that would go with our name. And pohádka (fairy tale) seems to be a great solution.

After that, the children prepared cards with good wishes for the apple tree, and we set off towards DKO (Jihlava House of Culture). Katarína Ruschková from the Department of the Environment of the Jihlava City recommended this place to us for planting the tree. We approached her with the idea of planting a tree as part of the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the Danish writer H. CH. Andersen last year already, and she, together with her colleagues, liked the idea. They chose a tree suitable for an urban environment and an ideal place for planting. They prepared a pit and brought the tree. Ms. Katarína brought shovels and hoes for the children directly to the site. We would like to thank her and all her colleagues for their excellent cooperation! The children prepared a small light ritual for the apple tree and wished it well. The weather was rainy all day Friday, but when we went out to plant the tree, it cleared up and it only started to drizzle after we returned to the gallery.

There, the children enjoyed the Hvězdolet / Child in each of us exhibition and then we moved to the workshop, where they creatively prepared letters for important personalities and supporters of the Night. Thanks to the diverse program, the evening flew by quickly and it was time to get ready to spend the night in the gallery. And we slept well. In the morning at breakfast we talked together and in the end Jana Jarošová and I also enjoyed some fun. The children had prepared an April Fool's joke for us - they all disappeared. J

Pavlína Pitrová, April 2023