I live with my family in the Czech Republic. I worked in theater as a producer for the Summer Shakespeare Festival at Prague Castle. I currently work for a private company involved in environmental protection and corporate ecology, among other things, and my work focuses primarily on corporate sustainability, ESG, and carbon footprint calculations.
When Arthur wrote to me from Africa in 2012: "We can't go on like this. We in Europe have no idea what the reality is for elephants in Africa. We don't get completely accurate information. We have to do something about it!" I realized that I didn't want to leave it at that either. I told him at the time that no one would give money to some guy named Arthur from Třinec to save elephants in Africa, that it had to be an organization or some kind of association. Which seemed like too big a bite to chew and a mountain we couldn't climb. We were young, inexperienced college students with absolutely no knowledge of the subject. But he replied, "Fine, then we'll start something," and his courage, tenacity, and enthusiasm convinced me that it would all make sense and that I wouldn't let him down. My friends and I founded a registered association in my living room and started working. A lot has changed in those 12 years. Some friends (fellow rescuers) have left, new ones have joined, there are new logos, new websites, a new name, and a new legal structure, but one thing has remained the same. Arthur's courage, tenacity, and desire not to give up, and my conviction that it still makes sense.
