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Conference & Exhibition on Prague Spring and the 1968 Invasion

On Tuesday, 4 September 2018, the Conference and the Exhibition of photographs dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Czechoslovakia took place at the European Parliament. The event was organised under the auspices of MEPs Ivan Štefanec and Jaromír Štetina and the Director of the Czech Center in Brussels Jitka Pánek Jurková.

Three prominent Czech personalities and a Slovakian political analyst presented their contributions during the well attended conference. The leading Czech expert in geopolitics Michael Romancov, gave a thought about the context of the intervention policy of the Soviet Union and the present Russia. The historian Petr Blažek tried to refute some myths about the terms of democratization and the Prague Spring in 1968. In connection with Blažek‘s remarks about the controversial approach of the Communist Party to the restored civil society in 1968, the documentary writer Adam Drda drew attention to the events of this year's memorial ceremony of the 1968 invasion in front of the building of Český rozhlas (Czech Radio). The last guest, political analyst Grigorij Mesežnikov, finally reminded the different roles of three Slovaks during 1968: Alexander Dubček, Vasil Bil'ak and Gustáv Husák.

After a shorter, however very fruitful discussion with the conference participants, including MEPs Pavel Svoboda and Luděk Niedermayer, followed the opening of the exhibition of photographs from the first days of the occupation of Czechoslovakia. One of the main speakers was the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Brussels Jaroslav Kurfürst who spoke among other things about the subject of defiance of individuals against oppression by the superpower. On the example of a Communist politician František Kriegel, who refused to sign the so-called Moscow Protocols, and a student of philosophy Jan Palach, who burned himself to death to protest against the indifference of the majority society against repressive domination, Jaroslav Kurfürst provided evidence of an extraordinary bravery, still encouraging determination to fight for freedom, democracy and human rights.

The exhibition of photographs dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Czechoslovakia was accessible until 7 September 2018.

Author: David Broul, Intern

Conference & Exhibition on Prague Spring and the 1968 Invasion