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ArtsHow the Velvet Revolution overturned the literary landscape
Writers were at the forefront of the Velvet Revolution. But when the dust
settled on the political changes they found a fast changing publishing
revolution underway that left some of them sidelined. We look at the
changes in the publishing and literary world over the last two decades. More
Current AffairsInternational theatre project reflecting on two decades of freedom culminates at Prague’s Archa on Friday
Svoboda? Svoboda! (Freedom? Freedom!) is the name of an international
theatre project that culminates at Prague’s Archa theatre on Friday
night. Involving theatre groups and contemporary history institutes from
the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany, the show provides a forum for
examination of the states’ recent communist past, and asks – what kind
of freedom did they achieve in 20 years? Ahead of Friday’s event, I
found
out more from the director of Divadlo Archa, Ondřej Hrab. More
ArtsNew book collects posters that helped shape 1989’s Velvet Revolution
Exactly 20 years ago, during the Velvet Revolution, the country was flooded
with posters, both home-produced and professionally printed, calling for
change. They bore slogans like Free Elections, Teacher You Don’t Have to
Lie to Us Anymore, and Havel to the Castle. Now many of those posters have
been gathered in a fascinating new book.
More
Talking PointCzech health care 20 years on: better, more expensive and in need of serious reforms
This month, Czechs celebrate 20 years since the Velvet Revolution that
overthrew the communist regime in their country. The fall of communism
changed practically all aspects of life, including health care. Radio
Prague finds out about the improvement and challenges of the Czech health
care system two decades after the fall of communism.
More
Letter from Prague1989 from abroad
The events of 1989 commemorated 20 years on this week brought back many
emotional memories. I was 19 when it happened, still living at home, only
not in Czechoslovakia, but in Canada. Like thousands of others of Czech
descent, born in new countries, I watched the Velvet Revolution unfold on
the TV screen, night after night, until, somehow, miraculously at the end
of it, the Communist system crumbled and collapsed.
More
ArtsNew National Museum exhibition showcases fascinating audio and video material from communist era
Za Svobodu! – called Be Free! in English – is the title of an
exhibition the Czech National Museum opened on Tuesday’s anniversary of
the start of the Velvet Revolution. It is located in the institution’s
new building, the former home of Czechoslovakia’s Federal Assembly, and
is co-curated by Lucie Swierczeková.
More
Current AffairsMarch that sparked Velvet Revolution re-created in Prague
The people of the Czech Republic have been marking the 20th anniversary of
the start of the Velvet Revolution, which led to the collapse of the
country’s Communist government after over four decades of repression. The
main event on Tuesday was the re-enactment in Prague of the student
demonstration that sparked those changes in 1989.
More
Current AffairsCo-founder of MOST initiative recalls initial meeting between Communist prime minister and dissident leaders
Several months ahead of the Velvet Revolution Michal Horáček, a
well-known lyricist, and rock performer Michael Kocáb founded the
initiative Most (Bridge), aimed at creating a platform to allow the
then-Communist regime to communicate with the dissidents it so often
jailed. At first, the effort was viewed as naïve, but within several
months the situation changed dramatically. After police violently cracked
down on students on November 17, the initiative grew in importance, and
eventually did succeed in bringing Communist leaders and dissidents to the
same table. More
Current AffairsCzech FA chief recalls sport’s role in 1989 regime change
The world of sport was quick to rally to the calls for change after the
brutal suppression of the students’ march on November 17. Within a few
days footballers and ice hockey players came out in what amounted to a
strike until the country’s destiny was settled.
More
Current AffairsNew photography exhibition documents final years of communism
Rundown buildings, empty shop-windows and ever-present grayness –
that’s the focus of a new photography exhibition called ‘Tady bylo
Husákovo’ – ‘This Once Was Husák’s Country’, which is now on
display at Prague’s Louvre Gallery. The collection of photographs by
Lubomír Kotek documents the atmosphere of Prague streets in the years
preceding the Velvet Revolution. More
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