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Struggle for freedom and democracy and International Students' Day – that's how we can find the 17th of November in our diaries and calendars. This date is connected to two important historical events that happened 50 years apart and are not only an inseparable part of Czech history, but they also gained international importance.

The year 1939 commemorates the closing of all the Czech universities which was preceded by the demonstrations against the German occupation of Czechoslovakia reacting to the killing and the funeral of Jan Opletal, a student who was shot by Nazis.

Gaudeamus igitur, Iuvenes dum sumus, let us therefore enjoy life while we are still young resonated on the streets all over Prague 50 years later when students were again a part of the political events. Originally a calm meeting on Albertov which should have commemorated the events from the year 1939 turned into a demonstration against the regime. This led to the brutal suppression of students by the security service. This crucial moment started the Velvet revolution, which transformed totalitarian Czechoslovakia into a democratic country.

Let's pay tribute to all who fought for our freedom and finally won.

Join us:

At 9:00 at Hlávkova Kolej where we will lay the wreath together.

At 10:00 there will be a March to the Žitná street where some speakers will perform a speech, and the wreath laying ceremony will take place.

Afterward, we will move to Albertov to pay tribute.

You can top the program with a celebration on Národní Třída off.