November 17th - The Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy
On November 17th, the Czech Republic commemorates two historically significant events. On November 17, 1939, which was eventually declared International Student Day, the Czech universities were closed by the Nazi occupiers and patriotic students were executed. On November 17, 1989, on the 50th anniversary of the events of the occupation period a demonstration took place, which grew into a protest against the communist regime of the time and, as a result, marked the beginning of the Velvet Revolution and, with it, the return of Czechoslovakia to the family of European democracies.
The Czech and Slovak communities commemorated the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution on Sunday, November 17, in Léopold Park at the Václav Havel bench. The informal meeting is traditionally accompanied by a commemorative lighting of candles.
