Freedom, courage and solidarity cannot be taken for granted. Join us in commemorating the events of (not only) 1939 and 1989, and the values upon which our society is built.
Students and alumni of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava and the University of Ostrava invite you on 16 and 17 November to the traditional celebrations of 17 November – the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy and International Students’ Day – which bring together history, culture and community spirit.
Monday 16 November | VSB-TUO | UA2 University Hall
- 17:00 – Freedom begins with critical thinking, talk with Ivo Zelinka
- 19:00 – Architecture and Art, panel discussion on the transformation of Ostrava
Tuesday 17 November | Ostrava city centre
- 16:39 – Gathering at the memorial plaque on Masaryk Square and the start of the candlelit procession
- 17:11 – The start of the candlelit procession
- Return to Masaryk Square, the national anthem and speeches by representatives of the city and both universities
- 19:00 – Concert by the band Ostravská bandaska and an event with the Moravian-Silesian Region’s ‘Memory of the Nation’ project at Minikino, including a discussion and film screening
This year’s event is being organised in collaboration with many key partners: the Statutory City of Ostrava, ‘Memory of the Nation’ for the Moravian-Silesian Region, the Moravian Ostrava Centre for Culture and Education, Ostrava Transport Company, Czech Television’s Ostrava Studio, the Student Chamber of the Council of Higher Education Institutions, and, last but not least, ‘Díky, že můžem’.
The accompanying programme also features the exhibition Světlo je krátké (The Light is Short), dedicated to Olbram Zoubek. You can visit it from 5 to 30 November in front of the Rector’s Office building at VSB-TUO.
Come and join us in honouring the legacy of the past and the strength of the present, sharing your thoughts and reminding ourselves that we all bear responsibility for freedom and democracy.
Let’s not stand on the sidelines!
Website for the 17 November events: Generace17.
