The Velvet Revolution is turning into evolution. That is the main idea of the project conducted by the Milan Šimečka Foundation to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the communist regime.
The project creators said that the manifesto of November ’89, signed 30 years ago on November 20, is still alive today. The creators changed the original version a little to show its accuracy for the current age.
“The play with the word (r)evolution is to alert young people that the November 1989 demands are still valid and it is necessary to advocate for them,” the creators said, as quoted by the press release.
The manifesto signed in Bratislava is still unknown to the majority of society. The Velvet Evolution campaign wants to change this.
100 events
The anniversary of the revolution will be celebrated in many towns around Slovakia. Besides the official events in the capital, the project put together a database of more than 100 events and more will be added. There will be festivals, student events, town initiatives, concerts, discussions, theatre and exhibitions from Humenné, Trebišov, Banská Štiavnica, Spišská Nová Ves, Bardejov, Žilina, Piešťany, Trnava to Bratislava.
The website wants to also symbolically emphasise how varied and active civic societies are in recalling recent Slovak history.
Nina Galanská, director of the foundation, explained that the foundation was established in 1991 to help develop civic society and education about human rights and democracy.
Related story:Velvet Revolution fails to fire student interest Read more “Currently, we worked mainly with schools and young people, generations that did not experience the era before the Velvet Revolution,” she said, as quoted by the press release. “We try to actively work with the November ’89 message in regards to young people who will take up the task to recall and develop it.”
VPN PROGRAMME STATEMENT (signed November 25)
1. We demand that the Slovak National Council be turned into a real parliament of the Slovak nation, where all parts of our society will be represented.
2. We demand that total freedom of the press be guaranteed. Journalists, elect such leadership for the editorial offices that will guarantee this freedom.
3. We demand that the freedom to do business, freedom of gathering, association, movement, conscience and other civil rights and freedoms be guaranteed.
4. We demand that the leading role of the Communist party anchored in the constitution is cancelled and an amendment to the constitution is made.
5. We demand that the education system and culture be stripped of ideology and that culture be separate from state control.
6. We demand the guaranteed impartiality of the courts and prosecution, and that the real rule of law be introduced.
7. We demand a consistent division of the churches from the state.
8. We demand free labour unions and independent student organisations.
9. We demand all forms of ownership be made equal before the law.
10. We demand a consistently democratic federation of Czechs and Slovaks, and laws to govern the rights and the position of nationalities following the principle of full and factual equality.
11. We demand real guarantees of the right to a healthy environment.
12. We demand that all have the guaranteed chance to choose their occupation and fulfil their life’s career.
7. Nov 2019 at 11:02 | Compiled by Spectator staff
