In last week’s programme, we looked back at the Velvet Revolution and the events that brought down the communist regime in former Czechoslovakia. This week, we move from history to the present — exploring what the legacy of November ’89 means for Slovakia today.
This year, November 17th was no longer a day off work, following government austerity measures. Yet despite that, many schools, companies, and organisations chose to close their doors — and thousands of people took to the streets. The Nežná! festival brought crowds together in celebration, while others gathered in protest. The message was clear: the spirit of November ’89 still resonates, perhaps even more strongly among a new generation that never lived through the regime or the revolution.We hear reflections from sociologist Oľga Gyarfášová, November ’89 student activist Zuzana Mistríková, and Linda Varošová — a young student and one of the organisers of the Nežná! festival — along with voices from the streets and many others.