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As part of the 25th edition of the event, Roman Kodet received the Miroslav Ivanov Prize in the World History category for his comprehensive publication titled The Twilight of the Samurai: War, Great Powers, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Japan (1850–1880). During the same ceremony, Aleš Skřivan Sr. was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his work in non-fiction writing.

"This is a highly prestigious award in the field of non-fiction, recognizing the most accomplished publications and their authors. The prize is awarded by the Club of Non-Fiction Authors in collaboration with the family of Miroslav Ivanov and presented across several categories," stated Lukáš Novotný, Head of the Department of Historical Sciences at the Faculty of Arts, UWB.

Kodet's 800-page book, published by Epocha, covers the turbulent period of Japanese history around the middle of the 19th century, when the country’s opening to the West resulted in sweeping social, economic, and political transformations. These culminated in the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate after more than 250 years and ensued in the so-called Meiji Restoration period. The book also explores Japan’s response to the growing pressure of global powers and the motivations that led its leaders to initiate an era of profound reforms. In the Czech environment, the book represents a unique publication given that this historical period has received relatively little attention in Czech historiography. Upon receiving the award, Kodet commented: "This recognition is a great honor for me and a strong motivation to continue my work. One of my next steps will be to publish this book in English so that the international academic community can benefit from the extensive archival research it presents."

Also honored was Aleš Skřivan Sr., a long-time scholar at the Faculty of Arts, UWB. Throughout his academic career, he has focused primarily on the great power politics of Austria-Hungary and Germany before World War I. At the same time, he has authored numerous popular historical works. His publications include The Japanese War 1931–1945, Sea, Discoveries, Centuries (with Petr Křivský), Red Barbarians at the Gates: The First Opium War 1839–1842, and The Departing Century: Lights and Shadows of the “Belle Époque” (also with Křivský). Among students, his comprehensive volume titled European Politics 1648–1914 remains considerably popular. In 2023, he was also awarded the Commemorative Medal of the University of West Bohemia.

“I truly believe Professor Skřivan deserves this recognition. His lectures are excellent, and in today’s turbulent times, history offers many analogies that humanity can and should learn from,” shared one of master degree students of Modern History at the Department of Historical Sciences.

Roman Kodet is also held in high esteem by students, who value the way his teaching fosters a deep interest in Japanese history and history in general. “Dr. Kodet truly ignites enthusiasm in his students through his captivating storytelling about the history and culture of Japan, a country so distant from our own,” said a student in the History bachelor degree program. “He often shares stories from his research trips to Japan, and his passion for the country is always present.”

His enthusiasm for Japanese history has often inspired students in their own academic work. For example, one of his students, Veronika Krištofová, published her thesis with Epocha under the title Under the Rising Sun: Japanese-Korean Relations in the 19th and 20th Centuries.