Czech Pavilion hosts Ostrava Days and baseball star Ondřej Satoria
For two days, the Czech Pavilion at EXPO 2025 belonged to Ostrava. The Ostrava Days program brought to Japan the atmosphere of a city that has successfully transformed its industrial heritage into a modern metropolis – a place of investment, innovation, culture, and sports. Held from September 11 to 12, 2025, the program included thematic presentations, a live puppet performance about the history of Ostrava, an aikido demonstration, and meetings with one of the most popular Czech baseball players in Japan, Ondřej Satoria of Arrows Ostrava, who also held two autograph sessions during the event.
Other partners of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025, often closely connected to Ostrava and the region, also took part in the presentation. These included the National Partner CTP, which has cooperated with the city for 20 years; the Official Partner Purposia Group, whose roots lie in Ostrava; and the agency CzechTrade, which presented the region as an important business hub in Central Europe. Discussions covered topics ranging from traditional heavy industry and metallurgy to infrastructure development and the new directions Ostrava is taking.
“I grew up in the Moravian-Silesian Region and have seen firsthand how Ostrava and the wider region have transformed and opened up to new partners – even from the other side of the world. This is exactly the goal we had in mind when preparing the business program of the Czech Pavilion at EXPO 2025. Seeing Ostrava here together with our partners such as Purposia Group and CTP, opening up new opportunities, confirms that we have a lot to show to the world – not only Prague, but also other strong aspects of Czechia, such as Ostrava,” said Ondřej Soška, Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.
An important role was also played by Ostrava’s universities – the Technical University of Ostrava and the University of Ostrava – which presented not only their programs and top fields in technology, medicine, and natural sciences, but also how they prepare a new generation shaping the future of the region, including through international mobility.
The program also featured presentations of culture and tourism. Ostrava introduced its major festivals, such as Colours of Ostrava and Beats for Love, as well as its rich offering of museums and galleries. Culture and sports were presented as integral parts of the city’s identity.
“Few cities in the world have managed such a successful transformation as Ostrava. We have found a new identity – a city of education, innovation, culture, and sports. We are not afraid of new projects; we host major international events, such as the Ice Hockey World Championship, and we are building a new concert hall designed by renowned American architect Steven Holl. I am very glad that we were able to present Ostrava here in Japan. We have had many informal meetings and established numerous new contacts and partnerships that will certainly move Ostrava forward,” said Ostrava Mayor Jan Dohnal at the Czech Pavilion.
Ostrava Days also included two meet-and-greet and autograph sessions with one of the most popular Czech baseball players in Japan, Ondřej Satoria of Arrows Ostrava, which attracted a large number of local fans and Japanese journalists. Satoria became known to Japanese audiences mainly thanks to his performance at the World Baseball Classic 2023, where, as an electrician by profession, he struck out Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani.
“What happened to me went around the world. For me, it’s quite surreal, because as an ordinary guy from Ostrava I never expected something like this to happen. In Czechia, almost nobody knows me, but here people in the Czech Pavilion recognized me. One woman I was giving a signed card to even burst into tears while taking a photo with me. I must say it really moved me. People in Japan are very grateful and humble, and I really like that,” Satoria added, noting that he feels at home in the Czech Pavilion.
A major baseball fan, Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama, also came to meet Satoria at the Czech Pavilion. They met at the so-called Wall of Fame by Czech artist Jakub Matuška (aka Masker), which refers to the World Baseball Classic 2023 and depicts the “duel” between Satoria and Ohtani. The wall serves as a signing spot for distinguished visitors, and currently features signatures from, among others, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Czech President Petr Pavel, and Princess Takamado of Japan. The collection already includes more than twenty signatures and will continue to grow until the end of EXPO 2025. Together with Mayor Jan Dohnal, Satoria presented Mayor Yokoyama with a puppet – a miniature of himself in a Czech uniform – and a personally signed baseball.
Baseball enjoys great popularity in Japan, and Czech players gained significant support and recognition from local fans thanks to their performance at the World Baseball Classic in March 2023. This was also because, unlike many professional athletes, Czech baseball players do not make a living from the sport and pursue it in their free time. For this reason, baseball is also featured as part of the visitor experience in the Czech Pavilion at EXPO 2025. The next World Baseball Classic will take place in Japan in March 2026.
