Public debate on the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain

The 35th anniversary of the fall of the iron curtain

Room 2.07

These days the Czech Republic is celebrating the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and the end of the previous regime. While it is important to remember what happened on Národní třída in Prague on 17 November 1989, we will focus on the geopolitical circumstances of this significant milestone, the European and regional events associated with it, and the causes and consequences of these major geopolitical and systemic changes.

What was behind this great pro-democracy storm and why did it happen? The West won the Cold War, but how exactly and why did it happen so quickly? Why was it mostly non-violent? What was the role of dissidents and how important were the major geopolitical forces? Was it right to talk about the end of history in the early 1990s?

And what are the current challenges?

The market economy still prevails, but aggressive authoritarianism and sharp political polarization are on the rise and in most European countries the economy is slowing down. The European Union is losing out significantly compared to its competitors in the US and China.

1. Political, geopolitical and historical panel

  • Prof. Milada Polišenská, Professor of History and International Relations, Anglo-American University,
  • Prof. William Eddleston, Professor of History, Anglo-American University,
  • Izabela Babinska, student Anglo-American University,
  • Jan Macháček, President of the Strategeo Institute,
  • Michael Žantovský, diplomat, writer, former Czech Ambassador to the United States, Israel and Great Britain,
  • moderator Veselín Vačkov, Director of the Strategeo Institute.

2. Economic panel

  • Milena Jabůrková, Vice President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic for Digital Economy and Education,
  • Jan Mládek, economist and politician, former Minister of Industry,
  • Miroslav Singer, economist, former Governor of the CNB,
  • Vladimír Dlouhý, economist, President of EUROCHAMBRES (Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry),
  • Josef Kotrba, Independent Consultant, CEO, the Czech Gas Association (CGA),
  • moderator Jan Macháček, President of Strategeo Institute.