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Brussels – The President of the European Parliament (EP) Roberta Metsola and another hundred people, including several Slovak MEPs, attended the opening of a documentary photo exhibition entitled “We Want Freedom” on Tuesday. It was prepared in the premises of the EP’s Brussels headquarters by the quaestor of the EU legislative body, Miriam Lexmann (European People’s Party/KDH), on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, reports the TASR correspondent.
Metsola stated that the Velvet Revolution changed Slovakia and paved its way to the EU. “With this exhibition, we commemorate the courage of men and women who stood up for progress, freedom, and democracy,” she said. She added that their message resonates even after 35 years and is important at a time when Ukrainians die for the same values, freedom, and the possibility of becoming an EU member.
The head of the National Memory Institute (ÚPN) Jerguš Sivoš also addressed the guests, among whom were 50 visitors from Slovakia, employees of EU institutions, and the head of the Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic to the EU Juraj Nociar.
Young participants of the Unnoticed Heroes project, which aims to strengthen historical memory through the presentation of personal stories of freedom fighters, and participants of demonstrations from 35 years ago also spoke. For the Czech Republic, former dissident, Charter 77 signatory, and MEP Alexandr Vondra spoke.
“It is important to pass the message from generation to generation to protect the freedom project,” said a deputy, for whom the exhibition is also a reference to family history, as her great-uncles, members of the Dominican Order, were victims of totalitarian regimes – Mikuláš Lexmann was persecuted by both Nazis and Communists and eventually died in a communist prison, and Gregor Lexmann was imprisoned in Jáchymov for nine years.
According to the EP quaestor, the exhibition focused on photographs capturing the atmosphere of the Velvet Revolution, the political events of that time, the jingling of keys, and civic unity. One of the framed photographs was dedicated to the head of the European Parliament.
Sivoš confirmed that ÚPN was a partner in preparing this exhibition, which is part of a broader series of events commemorating the events of 1989. “We are glad to bring the atmosphere of those days to the European Parliament. On 11 panels, it captures the first peaceful demonstrations, the role of students as a driving force in those days, the first negotiations on changing the leading role of the Communist Party, and other changes that then led to free elections in 1990,” Sivoš described the exhibition. (November 12)
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