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Czech Tourist Club – KČT

I am sorry, this is automatic Google conversion from Czech (fearful).

KČT is an abbreviation of the Czech Tourist Club.

The history of the club dates back to 1888, when it was founded by a group of patriots around Vojta Náprstek. The more than 100-year history of the KČT includes not only the organization of tourist events and association activities, but also, for example, important activities around the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891, the construction of the Praha Petřín lookout tower and cable car. During the First Republic (before 1938), the Club was relatively mobile, it also owned a number of cottages and even castles. After the Second World War, KČT was practically abolished and assimilated into ČSTV. The resumption of activities took place only after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. (see History of KČT)

Today, KČT has about 40,000 members, of which almost a quarter are young people.

The basic organizational unit of KČT are departments (odbory) which are grouped into 14 areas identical with the borders of regions. Everything is covered by the KČT headquarters based in Praha.

Every year, KČT members organize over a thousands events for club members and unorganized people interested in all types of tourism – hiking, biking, skiing, water tourism, motorcycling, speleotourism, alpine tourism, tourism for the disabled and most recently hippotourism. Youth tourist sections are associated in the TOM CR Association.

The Czech Tourists Club publishes the „Turista“ magazine for its members – and for the public.

Links

About KČT
Footpath marking in Czech Republic

Download

The system of waymarking trails in the Czech Republic, download EN (pdf, 2.1 MByte)
Das Markierungssystem der Wanderwege in der Tschechischen Republik DE (pdf, 2.2 MByte)

IVV – The International Federation of Popular Sports

The IVV was founded in 1968. A few walkers from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany met in Lindau, Germany and decided to found an international federation with the aim of organizing a sport that everyone could participate in, without classification and obligatory times.

The IVV sanctions non-competitive events in walking, biking, swimming, skiing, skating, and snowshoeing.
Walking is the most popular of the Popular Sports — known by the German term Volkssports. Thus, the walking events in the USA are often called volksmarches or volkswalks. Volks translates as „people“ or „popular“.

The IVV was founded in 1968. A few walkers from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany met in Lindau, Germany and decided to found an international federation with the aim of organizing a sport that everyone could participate in, without classification and obligatory times.

What is a volkssport walking event like? Going on a Volksmarch page takes you through a walking event from start to finish. Links take you off to explain various aspects and to lead you into the AVA's website to clubs and events.

The standard minimum distance worldwide is 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), and 20-kilometer trails must also be offered. Shorter routes of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) are also common in North America. Functionally disadvantaged walkers/wheelchairs are encouraged to complete whatever distance they can do comfortably.

The walks are non-competitive. Walkers register and begin the walk throughout a long start window. The only time factor is to end by a time three hours after the start closes.

Along the way, the route is marked and there are checkpoints with water and candy to provide a pause. At the finish, every walker is a winner and can receive the event award — a medal, patch, mug, etc.

There are also thousands of year-round walks, which you can walk at any time, guided by a map.

Walkers reward themselves for walking in different states, provinces, and countries. The IVV hosts an Olympiad every two years to bring together walkers from all over the world. Several tour companies structure their tours around volkssport events. Many IML Walking Association walking events are also sanctioned by the IVV, allowing walkers to be doubly rewarded.

With volkssport events, you can enjoy seeing your local area at walking speed and you can incorporate their walking events into your travels throughout your state/province, country or around the world.

Link

The International Federation of Popular Sports / The International Federation of Popular Sports