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
Events, Havel ConversationsON TYRANY – Twenty lessons from the twentieth century by Timothy Snyder October 23, 2017 September 18, 2017 / Vaclav Havel Library Foundation and Society for the History of Czechoslovak Jews with support by Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association present ON TYRANY – Twenty lessons from the twentieth century by Timothy Snyder
Havel ConversationsThe Relevance of President Vaclav Havel’s Legacy in Today’s World October 29, 2016 Panel discussion to mark President Havel’s 80th birthday. Havel’s colleagues Ivan Havel, Jiri Pehe, Martin Palous, Jan Svejnar, and Michael Zantovsky in discussion on current political themes. Stephen Grand, Executive Director of the Middle East Strategy Task Force, Atlantic Council, was the moderator.
Havel ConversationsOn the role of the Visegrad Group and Havel’s legacy August 6, 2016 Source: New Eastern Europe / www.neweasterneurope.eu / By Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska An interview with Michael Žantovský, a Czech diplomat, author, the current Director of the Vaclav Havel Library and president of the Aspen Institute Prague. Interviewer: Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska. AGNIESZKA PIKULICKA-WILCZEWSKA: In light of the Ukraine crisis and the refugee crisis, do you think …
Havel ConversationsHavel’s philosophy was far more important than that of many academic thinkers, says Aviezer Tucker August 3, 2016 Source: Radio Prague / www.radio.cz / By Ian Willoughby / Struck as a PhD student by the philosophical language used by Václav Havel in his famous 1990 speech to the US Congress, Aviezer Tucker went on to write The Philosophy and Politics of Czech Dissidence from Patočka to Havel. More …
Havel ConversationsHavelite politics overshadowed in CR today but can bounce back, says Forum 2000 chief Jakub Klepal April 29, 2016 Source: Radio Prague www.radio.cz / By Ian Willoughby / Forum 2000 was started 20 years ago this year as an annual conference on global issues. But where is the organisation at today, nearly five years after the death of founder Václav Havel? And – given developments on the Czech political …
Havel ConversationsHavel@80: Reflections on his Thoughts and Legacies April 7, 2016 Havel@80: Reflections on his Thoughts and Legacies Prepared by: COLUMBIA | SIPA Center on Global Economic Governance Five distinguished professors in discussion on Vaclav Havel’s legacy as well as the current political and economic developments in Central-East Europe: Alexander A. Cooley, Director, Harriman Institute; Professor of Political Science, Barnard College; …
Havel ConversationsVáclav Havel remembered for ideals but also humour on fourth anniversary of his death December 22, 2015 Source: Radio Prague www.radio.cz /By Jan Velinger/ Czechs on Friday are marking the fourth anniversary of the death of the country’s first post-communist president, Václav Havel. One thing that many people are doing in fond memory of Mr Havel is rolling up their pant legs – a reference to Havel’s …
Havel ConversationsSeeing former underground students enter politics post-1989 was wonderful, says philosopher Roger Scruton September 23, 2015 Source: Radio Praha www.radio.cz / By Ian Willoughby / The British philosopher Roger Scruton began giving underground seminars at the homes of Czechoslovak dissidents in the late 1970s. He was eventually thrown out of the communist state but the clandestine network he contributed to remained in place until the Velvet Revolution, …
Havel ConversationsHavel was a hero who didn’t disappoint, says Art for Amnesty’s Bill Shipsey June 18, 2015 Source: Český rozhlas / By Ian Willoughby / This Thursday a bust of Václav Havel will be unveiled at Ireland’s Dáil (Parliament), making him the first non-Irishman to be recognised in this way. The man behind the move is barrister Bill Shipsey. The founder of Art for Amnesty, he also …
Havel ConversationsFirst winner of the VHLF Award to Czech Theater Student May 5, 2015 Petr Erbes jr., the first winner of the VHLF Award to Czech Theater Student, talks about his thoughts and impressions from his two-week residency at Tisch School of the Arts in New York City in April 2015.
Havel ConversationsVoices of Havel May 4, 2015 In summer 2013, former Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Craig Stapleton, conversed with Presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and General Scowcroft. “When you’re the president, you get to meet interesting people, and there was no more interesting person than Vaclav Havel… he was a true leader, had …
Havel ConversationsHavel: A Life April 20, 2015 David Remnick, The New Yorker editor, journalist and writer, discusses the definitive biography Havel: A Life, with its author Michael Žantovský, Václav Havel’s former press secretary and longtime friend.
Havel ConversationsVaclav Havel Gala Dinner, Washington, DC, November 18, 2014 November 18, 2014 The star of the Vaclav Havel Gala Dinner was Secretary Madeleine Albright. In her opening speech, she expressed her persuasion that Havel’s belief in the fact that the key to salvation in this world rests on individual responsibility is now his most strongly echoing legacy.
Havel ConversationsVáclav Havel: Champion of the Heart, Builder of a Nation – 2014 New York Encounter January 18, 2014 Homage to the playwright and first President of the Czech Republic with Martin Palous, President of the Václav Havel Library Foundation.
Havel ConversationsWilliam and Wendy Luers Interviewed in Prague November 22, 2013 Ambassador William Luers, member of the VHLF Advisory Board, and Wendy Luers, Vice-Chairman of the VHLF Board of Directors, were recently interviewed at the Havel Library in Prague. The Luers discussed their experiences and views of Czechoslovakia in the 1980’s, the Velvet Revolution, and the transition of Czechoslovakia to democracy. …