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Charles University celebrates 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution with 4EU+ partners

9. 12. 2019

Charles University celebrates 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution with 4EU+ partners

On 17 November 2019, the Czech Republic marked the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. Celebrations commemorating the 1989 events took place across the country.

Charles University and its students organized various events and our 4EU+ partners took part in many of them.


Read how the representatives of other 4EU+ universities look back on the 1989 events


Watch the video "V like Velvet" created for the CU magazine Forum:


On 16 November, the conference on Europe an International Students’ Day was held in the Patriotic Hall of the Carolinum historical building. Two panel discussions moderated by the Vice-Rector for European Affairs Lenka Rovná and the Vice-rector for Education Milena Králíčková brought together students from several countries, representatives of student associations and 4EU+ universities. Ms. Alix Schulz from Heidelberg University presented German perspectives of 1989 and her points of view on the East-West divide in Germany today.


Alix Schultz at the conference Europe an International Students’ Day


On 28 November, French Minister of State for European Affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, gave a lecture at the Carolinum entitled 30 years after 1989 - Can Europe keep its promise of peace, prosperity and freedom?. During her lecture, Minister de Montchalin emphasized the importance of preserving European identity. She pointed out that over the last 30 years, Europe had taken great steps forward; in her opinion, Europeans needed to remember who they were and what they needed. She stated that not only diplomats and politicians needed to hold discussions but that the broader public needed to take part. Additionally, she said that the mobility of European citizens needed support, stressing the importance of opportunities for every European citizen.


France’s Minister of State for European Affairs, CU Rector Tomáš Zima, Vice-Rector Jan Konvalinka


Read more about Amélie de Montchalin's lecture at CU


France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček were the main speakers in a debate held on 6 December at the Blue Auditorium at Charles University– part of a two-day conference entitled Beyond 1989 – Hopes and Disillusions after Revolutions. The conference was organised by Charles University together with the Czech Academy of Sciences and the French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences – Prague (CEFRES).


Jean-Yves Le Drian (centre) with CU Rector Tomáš Zima and the Vice-Rector for European Affairs Lenka Rovná.



Read more about the conference "Beyond 1989 – Hopes and Disillusions after Revolutions"


On 13 November, „Havel’s Place“ was inaugurated at University of Milan. The installation was presented by the Rector Elio Franzini in the presence of Havel’s widow Dagmar Havlová Veškrnová. The event was organised by the University of Milan together with the Milan Czech Centre and the General Consulate of the Czech Republic, with the support of and Lombardia Region, Eleutheria Foundation, the Václav Havel Library in Prague and the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation - VIZE 97.