Displaying items by tag: freedom
Freedom and solidarity: Czechs mark 17 November
Representatives of Czech universities traditionally commemorated the memory of those who fought for freedom and democracy on 17 November, underscoring the importance of academia as a space for the free exchange of ideas and critical thinking.
Rector honours key individuals on 17 November anniversary
Eighty-five years have passed since 17 November 1939, a tragic day in Czech history. If this date is associated with darkness, the student protests that begaN on 17 November 1989 and were brutally repressed finally let hope into Czech society.
The legacy of two dates in Czechoslovak history, 17 November 1939 and 1989, was commemorated on Thursday by students and representatives of Charles University. “We are gathering together to honour the memory of the students and their brave fight for freedom,” CU Rector Milena Králíčková said.
“God or fate or history willed that I become a doctor here without having studied properly here...,” are memorable words Václav Havel said in his thank-you speech after receiving an honorary doctorate in the Great Hall of Charles University in 1990. Havel was the first person to be awarded the doctorate after the fall of communism.
Czechs have been marking 17 November, commemorating the courage of students and citizens who stood up to two different totalitarian regimes: against the Nazi oppressors in 1939 and the Communists 50 years later. Students, teachers and representatives of Charles University all took part.
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