Havel Conversations
Oral history focused on Vaclav’s Havel legacy in the United States and Canada before, during, and after his presidency aims to engage both public and scholarly interest in the dissident-to-president’s life and Havel’s unique leadership that interwove political and diplomatic life with music, arts, and dramatic and literary walks of life. Havel Conversations develop interviews that were prepared for Vaclav Havel Residency at Columbia University in 2006 by Columbia Center for New Media Teaching & Learning. Please see Havel Archives
Havel ConversationsHavel Conversations: Eva Heyd in discussion with Alex Zucker September 27, 2022 Rehearsal for Truth Festival, Bohemian National Hall, New York June 14, 2022 Translator Alex Zucker was in conversation with photographer, curator, and project manager of the Czech National Trust, Eva Heyd, on the occasion of the new publication, Ticket to the New World, and an exhibition of the same name. …
Havel Conversations, NewsTalk and book presentation by Martin Putna September 1, 2022 Rus – Ukraine – Russia | Talk and book presentation by Martin Putna | Bohemian National Hall, New York, Monday, October 3, 7 pm EST RSVP HERE Martin C. Putna is a literary historian, critic, translator, teacher, author of works on history and religion. Former Head of the Vaclav Havel …
Havel ConversationsCERGE-EI 30th Anniversary Celebration April 21, 2022 Tuesday, April 26, 4:00 p.m. EST | Bohemian National Hall, New York City Watch HERE On April 26, 2022, the CERGE-EI Foundation will celebrate and reflect on the 30 years of success of The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education – Economics Institute (CERGE-EI). This collaboration between Charles University …
Havel ConversationsMy Three Encounters with Madeleine Albright April 6, 2022 Martin Palouš When a close associate of Madeleine Albright called me last Wednesday afternoon to tell me the sad news that she had just died, I was about to record a lecture on the concept of totalitarianism for the project “The Europe I Want to Live In: Europe 2050”. I …
Havel ConversationsHAVEL CONVERSATIONS ON ZOOM: Czech Republic – A Hidden Economic Powerhouse to Be Discovered in Central Europe February 8, 2022 Panel Discussion: Tomáš Salomon, Jan Švejnar, and Jack Stack. February 24, 2022 at 11 am EST / 5 pm CET. Watch HERE Download HERE Data Presentation The 2020s offer strong opportunities for growth as the Czech Republic invests in its future and builds off the past 32 years. A look …
Havel ConversationsHAVEL CONVERSATION: Michaela Bakala in discussion with Dr. Marilyn Wyatt December 2, 2021 Dr. Marilyn Wyatt, VHLF board member, recently talked to Michaela Bakala, a philanthropist well-known for her leadership of the Bakala Foundation, Fondation Zdenek et Michaela Bakala, Aspen Institute Central Europe and the Václav Havel Library. Their conversation that took place on Zoom on November 1, 2021, focused on the state …
Havel Conversations, NewsHavel Conversation online: The Seduction of Fanaticism November 19, 2021 Dedicated to the 10th anniversary of President’s Havel passing December 2, 2021, 6 pm CET Watch HERE In May 1996, president Vaclav Havel invited to Prague Elie Wiesel, an American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He delivered a lecture entitled “The Seduction of Fanaticism” in the …
Havel Conversations, NewsHAVEL AND SLAVIA November 19, 2021 On Wednesday 17th November, the 32nd Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, the sixth cast of a bronze bust by Marie Seborova of the late President Havel was unveiled in the Academy of Performing Arts (AMU’) owned Café Slavia opposite the National Theatre in Prague. The event was jointly organized by Amnesty …
Havel Conversations, NewsOpening Remarks by Ayad Akhtar, President of PEN America | VHLF & BBLA Annual Gala Honoring Sir Tom Stoppard October 21, 2021 VHLF & BBLA Annual Gala Honoring Sir Tom Stoppard | September 23rd, 2021 | Ayad Akhtar is a novelist, playwright, winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the president of PEN America. I want to thank the Vaclav Havel Library Foundation for the opportunity to address you all …
Havel ConversationsVHLF & BBLA 2021 Annual Gala Honoring Sir Tom Stoppard: The Play’s the Thing October 17, 2021 Thursday, September 23, 2021 Vaclav Havel Library Foundation & Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association Annual Gala Honoring Sir Tom Stoppard and presenting the sixth annual Disturbing the Peace Award to a Courageous Writer at Risk was held at the Bohemian National Hall in New York. With two-time Tony Award-winning actress …
Havel ConversationsHAVEL CONVERSATIONS ON ZOOM: Asli Erdogan in discussion with Elzbieta Matynia April 23, 2021 Disturbing the Peace Award recipient, Turkish writer Asli Erdogan will talk about her position of a dissident writer, a woman prisoner of conscience, Havel’s legacy, what hope meant for him and where we should look for it. She will be in discussion with Elzbieta Matynia, Professor of Sociology and Liberal …
Havel ConversationsHAVEL CONVERSATIONS ON ZOOM: Peter Sis in Discussion with Bill Shipsey February 3, 2021 The third of our 2021 Havel Conversations series will feature Czech-American artist, MacArthur Fellow, and three-time Caldecott Honoree Peter Sis. He will talk with VHLF board member, lawyer and human rights activist Bill Shipsey, the founder of Art for Amnesty – Amnesty International’s global artist engagement program. Sunday, March 7, …
Havel ConversationsHAVEL CONVERSATIONS ON ZOOM: Jiri Pehe in Discussion with Dr. Marilyn Wyatt January 27, 2021 The second of our 2021 Havel Conversations series will feature Czech journalist and political writer Jiri Pehe. Former chief political advisor to President Havel and now the director of New York University’s center in Prague, Pehe is a shrewd observer of both the American and European political scenes. He will …
Havel ConversationsHAVEL CONVERSATIONS ON ZOOM: Colum McCann in Discussion with Veronika Tuckerova December 30, 2020 The National Book Award–winning and bestselling author of Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann, will introduce his latest epic novel Apeirogon and the global network Narrative 4 in discussion with Harvard lecturer in Slavic languages and literatures, Veronika Tuckerova Wednesday, January 27, 7 pm EST Watch HERE Colum McCann’s most …
Havel ConversationsU.S. Cultural Diplomacy & Czech Political Miracle December 18, 2020 American Embassy as a symbol of the free world in reflections of Vaclav Havel’s Czech friends and colleagues. In August 2020, the VHLF filmed several short interviews with Vaclav Havel’s colleagues, friends, and fellow dissidents. Michael Zantovsky describes the crucial role of the Vaclav Havel Library; Martin Palous talks about …