Invitation to Forum 2000 Associated Event

It us our utmost pleasure to invite you to the accompanying event of the 14th Forum 2000 Foundation yearly conference organized under the auspices of President Václav Havel in Prague. The title of our moderated panel discussion is "Lesson taken (?). Role of Political Prisoners in our Past, Presence and Future".

We are honored to announce that Jose Luis Garcia Paneque, recently released political prisoner from Cuba, will join our discussion as distinguished guest. The key introductory words will be delivered by Trudie Bryksová, Journalist, the widow of Josef Bryks, Brigadier General In Memoriam, who died in 1957 in the Czechoslovak uranium forced labour camp „Rovnost" („Equality"). 

Main topic of this accompanying event is the role of former political prisoners in democratic societies tackled from the perspective of historians, eyewitnesses and former political prisoners themselves. Life stories of politically persecuted people represent an educational tool for youth as well as adults. Their memories mirror a motivation potential for further study of our recent past and ways to democracy. Who are they and what did we learn from them? The following guests will share their views with us: Tomáš Bursík, leading expert in recent history and head of Department of Modern History, The National Museum, Prague and Miroslav Vaněk, professor of oral history and acting President of IOHA. 

Françoise Mayer, Director CEFRES Prague and author of the book „Czechs and their Communism" cancelled her participation due to an unexpected working duty but may join the discussion at the end of the panel. 

The event will be held on 12 October 2010 at 17:15 pm in the Goethe-Institut Prague, Masarykovo nábřeží 32, Prague 1. Free public participation.

RSVP via email info@politicalprisoners.eu by 8 October 2010. The working language of the discussion is English. Read the panel program below.
 

The debate is an associated event of the Forum 2000 Conference "World We Want to Live In", October 10-12, 2010. We are looking forward to meeting you! 

Team of the volunteer initiative Političtí vězni.cz / Political Prisoners.eu.

Downloads