Organizers at the site of the 1989 clash between students and police are planning a cultural program on November 17, including live podcasts, debates, concerts, exhibitions, theater performances and a traditional Havel living room. The Prayer for Martha accompanied by video mapping will also be heard. Pavla Umlaufová informed ČTK about it on behalf of the organizing association Thanks, that I can.
The organizers of the Day of the Fight for Freedom and Democracy want to commemorate the freedom fighters and the values of democracy in the context of current social issues. The motto of the event is Times are changing.
“We don’t just want to remember, we want to look at the present and above all the future. We want the topics that Czechs would like to be heard. Whether it is the right to marriage for all, a quality education system, equal opportunities, or the competitiveness of our country. We also feel the need to debate the challenges that our society is afraid of in a rapidly changing world. Such as the uncertain future in the shadow of the climate crisis, the complex economic situation of the most threatened, the war in Ukraine or the crisis of democracy in Central Europe,” said Jan Hlaváček, director of the association Dačí že moče.
The tenth year of the event promises more than 100 program items and over 400 performers. The program on Národní třída will start at 10:00 a.m. with a Velvet brunch on the street, accompanied by the CTU orchestra. Proceeds from the event will go to help single mothers. This year, too, the national anthem will be played from the balcony of the Metro Palace at 1:00 p.m., as well as the Prayer for Martha at 5:11 p.m. It will be sung by Hana Holišová.
As part of debates, live podcasts and interviews in the X10 Theatre, on the New Stage of the National Theater or in the DRN Palace, there will be discussions about the post-election situation in Slovakia, young people and their view of Europe, whether the Czech Republic lags behind the countries of Western Europe or how politicians use the November 17 reference.
This year, Václav Havel’s living room commemorates the personality of Olga Havel on the occasion of her late 90th birthday. There will be a reading from contemporary titles and texts by Václav Havel dedicated to Olga. A special space will also be dedicated to texts by female authors. On Václav Havel Square, the texts will be read by actresses Martha Issová and Ester Geislerová, journalist Linda Bartošová, actors Vladimír Polívka and Jan Cina, or journalist and YouTuber from the channel Jirka explains things Jiří Burýšek. The celebrations will close from 17:45 with a concert by the singer Lenny.
