After growing up in communist Czechoslovakia, they benefited from great educational opportunities and then great business opportunities in the free world that emerged after the velvet revolution of the Czech Republic.
Michaela and Zdenek Bakala have been envisioning a world of open and free societies, based on democratic values, where talented individuals have opportunities to achieve their fullest potential.
Perhaps not surprisingly, then, they decided to direct their Philanthropy in support of the cause of freedom and those things that make freedom work.
Michaela and Zdenek Bakala believe that all of these causes will best be served by providing access to high quality education and strengthening democratic values, human rights, freedom and critical thinking. Therefore they established the Fondation Zdenek et Michaela Bakala in their new home of Switzerland and Bakala foundation in the Czech Republic in order to reflect their core values and to support talented young people who have the courage to take the advantage of the opportunities Michaela and Zdenek seek to provide. In addition, the Bakalas directly support a number of other cultural, social, sporting, and academic institutions in Europe, South Africa, and the United States.