‘CONNECTED’:
In 1996, Taiwan held its first elections, the Czech Senate was established and Vaclav Havel delivered his ‘Europe as a Task’ speech, the Czech Senate head said
Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil, who is in Taiwan for a four-day visit, and former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday reflected on the legacy of human rights advocate and former Czech president Vaclav Havel and the shared democratic values of Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Speaking at the opening of the “Vaclav Havel Dialogues: Human Rights and Responsibility in a Changing World” seminar, held in Taipei and named after the late president, Tsai said she had a personal connection to Havel, having met him at a Forum 2000 conference in Prague in 2004, of which he was one of the event’s founders.
Later the same year, Havel visited Taiwan and shared stories of the Czech Republic’s democratic development, Tsai said.
Photo: George Tsrong, Taipei Times
Havel, who was elected president of Czechoslovakia and later became the first president of the Czech Republic, inspired people around the world to strive for freedom, dignity and democracy, she said.
“His message resonated deeply with many in Taiwan, who saw in Czechia’s experience a reflection of our own democratic journey,” Tsai said. “In Taiwan, as in the Czech Republic, we believe that the people should have a powerful voice in shaping our collective future and should be afforded the dignity, freedom and human rights that democracy protects.”
Vystrcil said the Czech Senate, Taiwan and Havel are symbolically connected, because this year marks the 30th anniversaries of all three.
Photo: CNA
In 1996, Taiwan held its first direct presidential election, highlighting its “definitive transition from authoritarian rule to democracy,” he said.
The same year, Havel delivered his famous speech, “Europe as a Task,” during which he called for a united Europe to serve as a global inspiration for shared democratic values, Vystrcil said.
The Czech Senate was also formally established in 1996, he added.
Vystrcil, who is on his second visit to Taiwan — the first being in 2020 during Tsai’s presidency — said it was important for his country, Taiwan and all free countries to address the shared task at hand.
“I am convinced that in today’s world, resilience and security are more important than immediate profit or the lowest possible price,” he said.
Havel died in 2011 at the age of 75.
The half-day event was jointly organized by National Chengchi University, the Czech Center Taipei and Sinopsis.
The seminar was held to mark what would have been Havel’s 90th birthday and brought together figures from public life and the academia to reflect on the enduring relevance of his legacy, the organizers said.
