NewsCzech Foreign Minister joins launch of Havel project on CubaOctober 3, 2019Source: Florida International University / https://news.fiu.edu / By Amy Ellis / Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček was only 8 years old when the Velvet Revolution of 1989 brought freedom to his country and an end to communist rule. Through his work as a diplomat – and as a student of international relations …
NewsVaclav Havel Human Rights Prize awarded to Ilham TohtiOctober 1, 2019Source: DW / www.dw.com / The Council of Europe has awarded its prestigious annual human rights award to imprisoned Uighur activist Ilham Tohti. It has also jointly honored the Balkan-based Youth Initiative for Human Rights. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Monday jointly awarded its human …
NewsTrump wants Russia to join the G-7. Here’s why that’s a terrible ideaAugust 28, 2019Source: The Washington post / www.washingtonpost.com / By David J. Kramer / David J. Kramer is a senior fellow in the Vaclav Havel Center for Human Rights & Diplomacy and director of European and Eurasian studies at Florida International University’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs. For …
EventsGala Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Velvet RevolutionAugust 1, 2019Thursday, September 26, 2019, 6:00 PM Bohemian National Hall, 321 E 73rd Street, New York Benefit gala celebrating the 30th anniversary of the independence of Czechoslovakia and other Central and Eastern European countries, with guests of honor Ambassador Craig Stapleton and Mrs. Dorothy Stapleton. Master of ceremonies: Nicholas D. Lowry, …
Contest for the best mini drama, NewsEllis Stump is the U.S. winner of the annual contest for the best mini-dramaJuly 18, 2019We are delighted to announce that the winner of the 2019 Vaclav Havel Library Foundation’s playwriting competition is Ellis Stump! Ellis is a 2019 graduate of Penn State Schreyer Honors College where she majored in English and Media Studies (Film), minored in Gender Studies, Psychology, and Theatre, and received the …
NewsStage play on Vaclav Havel’s classic “Audience” premieres in AbujaJuly 2, 2019Nigerian Tribune / www.tribuneonlineng.com / By Tribune Online / A theatrical adaptation of multiple award-winning playwrights and first President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel’s classic autobiographical book “Audience”, was presented on Tuesday night in Abuja. The stage play on the acclaimed memoir was presented by Jos Repertory Theatre, an …
NewsFirst Thai Wins Czech Culture AwardJune 21, 2019Source: KHAOSODENGLISH / www.khaosodenglish.com / By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich / PRAGUE — An arts professor is the first Thai national, as well as the youngest person ever, to be presented with an award from the Czech Republic for promoting Czech culture abroad. The Czech government awarded Verita Sriratana, a professor in …
NewsSlovakia’s new president buoys Czech liberals on first foreign visitJune 21, 2019Source: The Guardian.com / www.theguardian.com / Zuzana Čaputová’s arrival in Prague comes as activists plan fresh protests against rightwing Czech government Slovakia’s newly installed liberal president, Zuzana Čaputová, has arrived in the Czech Republic on an official visit that will culminate in a symbolic visit to the grave of Václav …
NewsProtesters Fill Prague Square Again, in New Struggle for Country’s SoulJune 10, 2019Source: The New York Times / www.nytimes.com / By Marc Santora / PRAGUE — In the square in the heart of Prague, where crowds gathered three decades ago in their bid to wrest freedom from Communist rule and where independence was proclaimed seven decades before that, protest songs rang out …
NewsGreta Thunberg receives top human rights honour Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience AwardJune 10, 2019Source: The West Australia / https://thewest.com.au / By Miriam Fisher / Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future movement of school-children have been honoured with Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2019. The 16-year-old activist achieved swift global fame last year when she skipped school to …
NewsRobert L. Bernstein, Publisher and Champion of Dissent, Dies at 96June 4, 2019Source: New York Times / www.nytimes.com / By Robert D. McFadden / Robert L. Bernstein, who built Random House into an international publishing giant and championed political dissent, freedom of expression and relief for oppressed peoples as the founder of Human Rights Watch, died on Monday in Manhattan. He was …
NewsIconic Thai rappers get human rights awardMay 31, 2019Source: The Nation / www.nationmultimedia.com / ANTI-JUNTA rapper group Rap Against Dictatorship (RAD) has won this year’s Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent, awarded by the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, the band has announced on its website. The prize recognises those “who engage in creative dissent, exhibiting courage and …
EventsPrague’s DOX to commemorate Tiananmen Sq. massacre with unveiling of Liu bustApril 22, 2019Source: Radio Praha / www.radio.cz / By Ruth Fraňková / A bust of the late Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo is due to be unveiled at Prague’s DOX gallery this coming Monday. The ceremony is part of an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen …
NewsA Place for the Liu Xiaobo BustApril 18, 2019Source: China Change / www.chinachange.org / By Yaxue Cao / In August 1988, two months after receiving his PhD in literature from the Beijing Normal University, Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) left the Chinese capital for a series of academic visits across Europe and the United States. The first place he went …
NewsCzech Foreign Minister joins launch of Havel project on Cuba October 3, 2019 Source: Florida International University / https://news.fiu.edu / By Amy Ellis / Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček was only 8 years old when the Velvet Revolution of 1989 brought freedom to his country and an end to communist rule. Through his work as a diplomat – and as a student of international relations …
NewsVaclav Havel Human Rights Prize awarded to Ilham Tohti October 1, 2019 Source: DW / www.dw.com / The Council of Europe has awarded its prestigious annual human rights award to imprisoned Uighur activist Ilham Tohti. It has also jointly honored the Balkan-based Youth Initiative for Human Rights. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Monday jointly awarded its human …
NewsTrump wants Russia to join the G-7. Here’s why that’s a terrible idea August 28, 2019 Source: The Washington post / www.washingtonpost.com / By David J. Kramer / David J. Kramer is a senior fellow in the Vaclav Havel Center for Human Rights & Diplomacy and director of European and Eurasian studies at Florida International University’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs. For …
EventsGala Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution August 1, 2019 Thursday, September 26, 2019, 6:00 PM Bohemian National Hall, 321 E 73rd Street, New York Benefit gala celebrating the 30th anniversary of the independence of Czechoslovakia and other Central and Eastern European countries, with guests of honor Ambassador Craig Stapleton and Mrs. Dorothy Stapleton. Master of ceremonies: Nicholas D. Lowry, …
Contest for the best mini drama, NewsEllis Stump is the U.S. winner of the annual contest for the best mini-drama July 18, 2019 We are delighted to announce that the winner of the 2019 Vaclav Havel Library Foundation’s playwriting competition is Ellis Stump! Ellis is a 2019 graduate of Penn State Schreyer Honors College where she majored in English and Media Studies (Film), minored in Gender Studies, Psychology, and Theatre, and received the …
NewsStage play on Vaclav Havel’s classic “Audience” premieres in Abuja July 2, 2019 Nigerian Tribune / www.tribuneonlineng.com / By Tribune Online / A theatrical adaptation of multiple award-winning playwrights and first President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel’s classic autobiographical book “Audience”, was presented on Tuesday night in Abuja. The stage play on the acclaimed memoir was presented by Jos Repertory Theatre, an …
NewsFirst Thai Wins Czech Culture Award June 21, 2019 Source: KHAOSODENGLISH / www.khaosodenglish.com / By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich / PRAGUE — An arts professor is the first Thai national, as well as the youngest person ever, to be presented with an award from the Czech Republic for promoting Czech culture abroad. The Czech government awarded Verita Sriratana, a professor in …
NewsSlovakia’s new president buoys Czech liberals on first foreign visit June 21, 2019 Source: The Guardian.com / www.theguardian.com / Zuzana Čaputová’s arrival in Prague comes as activists plan fresh protests against rightwing Czech government Slovakia’s newly installed liberal president, Zuzana Čaputová, has arrived in the Czech Republic on an official visit that will culminate in a symbolic visit to the grave of Václav …
NewsProtesters Fill Prague Square Again, in New Struggle for Country’s Soul June 10, 2019 Source: The New York Times / www.nytimes.com / By Marc Santora / PRAGUE — In the square in the heart of Prague, where crowds gathered three decades ago in their bid to wrest freedom from Communist rule and where independence was proclaimed seven decades before that, protest songs rang out …
NewsGreta Thunberg receives top human rights honour Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award June 10, 2019 Source: The West Australia / https://thewest.com.au / By Miriam Fisher / Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future movement of school-children have been honoured with Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2019. The 16-year-old activist achieved swift global fame last year when she skipped school to …
NewsRobert L. Bernstein, Publisher and Champion of Dissent, Dies at 96 June 4, 2019 Source: New York Times / www.nytimes.com / By Robert D. McFadden / Robert L. Bernstein, who built Random House into an international publishing giant and championed political dissent, freedom of expression and relief for oppressed peoples as the founder of Human Rights Watch, died on Monday in Manhattan. He was …
NewsIconic Thai rappers get human rights award May 31, 2019 Source: The Nation / www.nationmultimedia.com / ANTI-JUNTA rapper group Rap Against Dictatorship (RAD) has won this year’s Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent, awarded by the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, the band has announced on its website. The prize recognises those “who engage in creative dissent, exhibiting courage and …
EventsBust of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo unveiled in Prague to mark 30th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre April 22, 2019 Source: South China Morning Post / www.scmp.com / By Agence France Presse / A Prague art gallery has unveiled a brass bust of the late Chinese dissident and Nobel Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. “It’s his …
EventsPrague’s DOX to commemorate Tiananmen Sq. massacre with unveiling of Liu bust April 22, 2019 Source: Radio Praha / www.radio.cz / By Ruth Fraňková / A bust of the late Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo is due to be unveiled at Prague’s DOX gallery this coming Monday. The ceremony is part of an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen …
NewsA Place for the Liu Xiaobo Bust April 18, 2019 Source: China Change / www.chinachange.org / By Yaxue Cao / In August 1988, two months after receiving his PhD in literature from the Beijing Normal University, Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) left the Chinese capital for a series of academic visits across Europe and the United States. The first place he went …