05/02/2026
At the beginning of the week, Chicago was briefly visited by the Director of the Václav Havel Library, Tomáš Sedláček. His trip was no coincidence. It was symbolically connected to a major anniversary this year - 90 years since the birth of President Václav Havel.
On this occasion, Tomáš Sedláček presented Havel’s “living philosophy” for the very first time at the The University of Chicago. In caring for Havel’s legacy, he highlighted a side of Havel that is sometimes overlooked - the philosopher and thinker behind the statesman.
For those who couldn't participate at the lecture in person can find the link to recording in the comments.
The venue itself was chosen intentionally. The University of Chicago has long-standing ties to prominent Czech figures, including Presidents Masaryk and Beneš, as well as President Petr Pavel, who launched the Václav Havel Series here in 2024 - a lecture series that continues to this day. Havel’s international legacy is clearly in good hands here.
Despite a packed schedule, Tomáš Sedláček also recorded a short segment for the Czech American Community Center podcast with the ever‑wonderful Radka Kutalkova Veverkova and met with the local Czech‑American community—where else but at Cafe Prague Chicago.🇨🇿☕️
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