Prague event marks 90th anniversary of Václav Havel’s birth

A program marking the 90th anniversary of the birth of former Czech president and dissident Václav Havel, which falls on October 5, began at Prague’s Mariánské Square on Monday morning.

The day-long event opened with an informal discussion between historian Petr Blažek and František Stárek, a prominent figure in the Czech underground and a signatory of Charter 77. They discussed, among other things, freedom of culture and the importance of solidarity in an unfree society.

The event will feature readings from Havel’s works, a concert and the ceremonial unveiling of a Václav Havel Bench in the presence of his widow Dagmar Havlova.