Czechia to commemorate Velvet Revolution and Nazi closure of universities
This weekend, Czechia will commemorate two significant anniversaries: 35 years since the fall of the Communist regime and 85 years since the Nazi closure of Czech universities.
Marking the Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy and International Students' Day, events will take place in Prague and across dozens of other cities. As part of the Freedom Festival, people nationwide will be able to collect linden seeds to plant saplings, symbolizing a hopeful future. The project, Linden for the Future, will distribute 58,000 packets containing 17 seeds each.
“By planting a linden tree, you not only bring to life a majestic symbol that can thrive for centuries, but it also fosters connections within families, neighborhoods, or entire communities,” said Jan Gregar, head of the Freedom Festival’s organizing committee and organizer of the Concert for the Future. Participating municipalities will play Marta Kubišová’s iconic song Prayer for Marta from public broadcasts at 5:11 p.m., including in towns like Žďár nad Sázavou, Klatovy, and Přerov. Regional and national radio stations will also join the initiative.
The main commemorative events will take place on Národní třída in Prague, where police brutally suppressed a student march in 1989, sparking the Velvet Revolution. Politicians, families, and individuals will gather to lay flowers and light candles at the memorial plaque. In the morning, a ceremony will be held at Hlávka Dormitory to honor students persecuted by the Nazis in 1939. A midday ceremony at Ruzyně Prison will commemorate executed students, and speeches by university rectors, student representatives, and the Council of Higher Education will follow at Albertov. That evening, five individuals who resisted both Nazi and communist regimes will be honored with the Memory of the Nation awards during a ceremony at the National Theatre.
In Brno, universities, students, theater groups, and politicians will hold celebrations, gatherings, and cultural events. The largest event, Brno Seventeenth, organized by Brno university students, will center on the theme of Freedom and Responsibility. Musicians such as Thom Artway and Aneta Langerová will perform in Freedom Square, alongside speakers like Roman Ráček, a participant in the 1989 demonstration on Národní třída.
Traffic Restrictions in Prague
Celebrations in Prague will lead to traffic disruptions in the city center, particularly around Národní třída and Wenceslas Square. Národní třída will transform into a pedestrian zone for the holiday, with tram and car traffic halted between Újezd and Lazarská. Wenceslas Square will host the Concert for the Future in the afternoon, with traffic restrictions in place from Saturday morning until Monday at 2 p.m.
The celebrations will culminate with the premiere of the film Freedom Unites Us, screened at 5 p.m. on three projection screens on Národní třída. At 5:11 p.m., the traditional rendition of Prayer for Marta will follow, performed this year by actress Anna Fialová.
Other Events in Prague
Additional commemorative events will include the satirical Velvet Carnival, a procession from Kampa through Charles Bridge and Národní třída to Můstek. A student-led climate strike march will also take place in the city, as will protests against the government on Wenceslas Square. Demonstrators will march from the National Museum, across Nuselský Bridge, past the Czech Television building, and toward Charles Square via Vyšehrad. Meanwhile, the Million Moments for Democracy movement will host a rally on Old Town Square to oppose the growing influence of pro-Russian authoritarianism and populism.
