Events: February 2026
January 2026
March 2026
Czechia – A Demographic Time Bomb
February 2, 2026, 19:00
“There’s no time to wait – we’ve got to act now. Otherwise we will face a demographic catastrophe,” warns Ladislav Dušek, Czechia’s head of health statistics. Data clearly shows that the country is approaching a point where the number of incapacitated seniors in the population will increase dramatically. However, there is not enough time to build enough facilities where seniors could be cared for by professionals. So what are the possible solutions? Has the state already started to take action? How much will it cost Czechia? And how will it affect, for instance, the labour market? More
Witnesses to Charter 77: Jan Litomiský
February 5, 2026, 19:00
Jan Litomiský's friends describe him as an exceptional person: educated, cheerful and kind, hospitable, a deeply religious Evangelical with a tenacious character. He was not broken by either State Security investigators or the guards at Bory prison, where he served three years in the early 1980s. Jan Litomiský signed Charter 77 and became a member of the Committee for the Defence of the Unjustly Prosecuted. More
Upcomming events
At a Crossroads: Magda Vášáryová Opens up on Contemporary Czechia, Slovakia and More
February 9, 2026, 19:00
Czechia has a new government that is beginning to act in a strikingly similar manner to the governments of Fico and Orbán on the international stage. The legendary Slovak sociologist, diplomat and politician Magda Vášáryová will discuss the fate of Central Europe, which is simultaneously experiencing a crisis of democracy, the rise of authoritarians and an existential threat from Russia – and much more with journalist Petr Šabata.
Debate with Respekt
February 10, 2026, 19:00
A discussion featuring editors from the weekly Respekt and their guests. For more details visit www.vaclavhavel.cz prior to the event.
In Conversation With… Cimrman English Theatre
February 11, 2026, 19:00
Prague’s Cimrman English Theatre has been performing English-language versions of plays from the much-loved Divadlo Járy Cimrmana for over a decade. But does the idiosyncratic, and very Czech, humour really translate into English? And how accurate are comparisons with the UK’s Monty Python comic troupe, which also dates back to the late 1960s? These questions and more will be answered by three core members of the Cimrman English Theatre: Brian Stewart, Adam Stewart and Peter Hosking. In Conversation With… is an occasional series of discussions in English hosted by Ian Willoughby of Radio Prague International.
The Transformation of the Prague Castle Under Václav Havel
February 12, 2026, 19:00
The Václav Havel Library and the Faculty of Architecture at the Czech Technical University in Prague have decided to commemorate the unique period of architectural change at Prague Castle, and the return of culture to the complex, during the presidency of Václav Havel. Guests in this series of discussions will include notable figures who participated in these changes to varying degrees and can comment on them at the expert level. The opening discussion will feature architect Miroslav Masák, art historian Eliška Fučíková and photographer Tomki Němec. Moderated by Martin Vidlák.
HAVEL77: Here We Go Again?
February 16, 2026, 19:00
Premiere of a theatre production by DAMU students and graduates In 1977, Vašek was arrested for the first time in his life. He carefully recorded his days and thoughts, but ironically, after returning home, hid his notes so carefully that he never found them again. In the play Havel77, we read from his notes on his behalf, going beyond his image as a hero and showing him as a man who made mistakes and ultimately perhaps even lost. So, here we go again, Vašek? More
Debate N: Where Will Generation Z Find its Place?
February 17, 2026, 19:00
Where is the line between personal responsibility for our financial situation and systemic problems? How can we maintain faith in the future when we are unable to afford our own homes? And why are we so unhappy, even though we are better off than our parents and grandparents? We invite you to a debate about young people and the challenges brought about by periods of prosperity. The discussion will be moderated by Deník N economics editor Karolína Blažková.
Havel-Carney – Inspiration for International Relations
February 18, 2026, 19:00
Why did Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasize the need for coalitions for the survival of the democratic world? How can the ideas of Václav Havel inspire today's world leaders in their next steps and decisions? Ambassador of Canada to the Czech Republic Emily McLaughlin will discuss with Director of the Václav Havel Library Tomáš Sedláček about issues that affect Canada as much as Europe and the Czech Republic. The event will take place in English without interpretation.
The Free Academy: Petr Koubský – AI: Promises and Threats
February 19, 2026, 19:00
Petr Koubský is a Czech journalist, information and communication media analyst and educator. He has written and translated a number of books on IT and taught at the University of Economics and Charles University. He began as a programmer before working at media outlet Softwarové noviny. He later served as editor-in-chief of Inside magazine, was director of iCollege and published the web magazine 067. Since 2018, Koubský has been working at Deník N as a science and technology editor, while he also comments on Czech Radio’s Plus station.
Should I Be Stressed by Climate Grief?
February 20, 2026, 19:00
How have environmental activism and its methods changed since the fall of communism and the rise of online platforms? How has globalisation affected public perception of the environment and the climate crisis? Can pre-revolutionary approaches enrich the current endeavours of environmentalists? More
Václav Havel’s Compass: On Respect
February 23, 2026, 19:00
What makes Václav Havel’s philosophy so inspiring still? What questions does it raise for us? What challenges does it present us with? What solutions does it offer? The theme of respect is one of the fundamental values of Havel’s work, even though the author often does not express it directly. He understands respect as a necessary prerequisite for a functioning democracy and as a deeply personal moral stance. By this, he means respect for other people, respect for diversity, for moral values, for nature and for the order of the world. In Havel’s conception, it is not merely a matter of tolerance, but of a responsible relationship to the transcendent, which transcends man and gives meaning to human action. Philosopher Daniel Kroupa’s guest will be Tomáš Sedláček.
A Just Peace, or Just Russkiy Mir?
February 24, 2026, 19:00
From the killing of civilians and targeted attacks on hospitals and schools to the forced re-education of Ukrainian children and the destruction of cultural heritage, Russia’s war against Ukraine represents a horrific attempt to erase an entire nation. Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most of these crimes remain unpunished. The Kremlin has, in fact, honoured military units accused of some of the worst atrocities. Moreover, under a US-backed peace plan, Ukraine is being strong-armed towards negotiations on Moscow’s terms, including a proposed amnesty for Russian combatants. More
Alpbach Talks: What to Expect From 2026?
February 25, 2026, 19:00
How does the misty “future” become something that can be used to make decisions today? Foresight is neither fortune-telling nor science fiction; it is a practical tool for navigating times of uncertainty: what to watch, what to prepare for and where it makes sense to be bold. More
Those Who Remained... The Families of Political Prisoners in Memoirs and Documents
February 26, 2026, 19:00
This event will shed light on one of the still-neglected impacts of political imprisonment in Czechoslovakia from the 1950s to the 1980s: the stories and experiences of the loved ones of political prisoners who remained “free” and were forced to cope with the imprisonment of their partners, parents, grandparents, children and friends. The evening will feature excerpts from memoirs, letters and other sources. It will be hosted by literary historians Petra Loučová and Barbora Švýcarská from the Institute of Czech Literature at the Czech Academy of Sciences. More
The Legacy of Stalinism: Debate on Boris Akunin’s New Book
February 27, 2026, 19:00
Although Stalin’s reign of terror was condemned in the Soviet Union itself immediately after the death of one of the worst totalitarian leaders in history, Putin’s Russia today refers to it in numerous ways and directly continues Stalin’s imperial policy. Three leading experts on Russia will discuss the legacy of Stalinism in relation to a new book by exiled Russian writer Boris Akunin: translator and journalist Libor Dvořák, commentator Alexandr Mitrofanov and editor-in-chief of Voxpot Vojtěch Boháč.