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Event Series

Václav Havel Lecture on Human Rights, Civil Society and Democracy

 
On May 12, 1995, President Václav Havel delivered the Commencement address at Harvard University. During his visit, Havel was invited for a private discussion with faculty of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Adolphus Busch Hall. Havel (center) is seen here with the Center’s former Directors Stanley Hoffmann (left) and Charles Maier (right).

The Václav Havel Lecture on Human Rights, Civil Society and Democracy at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies (CES) was made possible through a gift by the Sekyra Foundation. It is named in honor of the dissident playwright Václav Havel who, after playing an instrumental role in bringing about the peaceful fall of communism in Czechoslovakia, served as its president (1989–1992) and of the Czech Republic (1993–2003). Havel was an epochal defender of civil liberties whose life work not only shaped the reordering of Europe but also posthumously continues to inspire human rights defenders around the world. This lecture series aims to honor Havel's legacy by convening scholars, activists and leaders to exchange knowledge and ideas with the Harvard community on liberty, human rights, and civic engagement.

The inaugural Václav Havel Lecture on Human Rights, Civil Society and Democracy was delivered by Michael Ignatieff, rector emeritus and professor of history at Central European University (CEU), on September 19, 2024. Ignatieff is the 2024 recipient of the Princess of Asturias Award in Social Science recognizing his academic and political dedication to defending “the values of freedom, human rights, tolerance and the safeguarding of institutions.”

The Sekyra Foundation

The Sekyra Foundation was established by Czech businessman Luděk Sekyra to support human rights, moral universalism, liberal values, and civil society. The Foundation also aids the development of critical and philosophical thought and supports academic institutions and educational projects, including the publication of works by significant thinkers. The Foundation also endeavors to promote intergenerational dialogue around responsibility for the future of the planet.

Liberalism from One Generation to the Next: The Politics of Hope in an Age of Fear Václav Havel Lecture on Human Rights, Civil Society and Democracy & The Democracy and Its Critics Initiative — Liberalism from One Generation to the Next: The Politics of Hope in an Age of Fear
September 19, 2024
5:15pm - 6:30pm
  • Michael Ignatieff – Professor of History and Rector Emeritus, Central European University; Senior Fellow, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
  • Chair Daniel Ziblatt – Director, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies & Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, Harvard University; Unit Director, Transformations of Democracy, WZB Berlin Social Science Center
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