Iconic Czech leader V�clav Havel focus of Cedar Rapids forum

CEDAR RAPIDS — The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is remembering the legacy of Václav Havel, an iconic 20th century political prisoner, champion of democracy and the last president of the Czech Republic, during a daylong forum on Saturday.

'Participating in Democracy,' which will feature a series of scholars, speakers and panel discussions, is tied to what would have been Havel's 80th birthday year. The essayist, playwright and activist, who was the first president of the Czech Republic after Czechoslovakia split in 1993, was born in 1936 and died in 2011.

'Havel is someone who spent time questioning values, and he is one who analyzed very nature of democracy,' said Tomáš Vrba, who will deliver the keynote address about Havel's contributions from 1960s — 1990s.

The museum, which was dedicated by then Czech Republic President Havel in 1995, is calling the forum 'a public exchange of ideas on how we shape democracy, inspired by Václav Havel.' The forum will occur at the museum from 10:30 a.m. to the end of Vrba's address at 4 p.m.

The event cost is covered by paid admission to the museum, and Vrba's speech is free. The schedule for the forum and registration is available at www.NCSML.org/event/ncsml-forum.

The Czech population has a rich history in Cedar Rapids dating back to the 1850s, according to the Cedar Rapids Czech Village website. U.S. Census Bureau 2010 data reported 6.8 percent of the Cedar Rapids population, or 8,800 people, identify as Czech.

In the early 1900s, Cedar Rapids had the largest Czech population in the country, according to author Michael C. LeMay, a scholar of U.S. immigration. Many Czech, as well as Slovaks, immigrated and took jobs at the Sinclair meatpacking plant.

Another centerpiece of the forum will be the exhibition, Samizdat: The Czech Art of Resistance, which 'explores how seemingly small acts of opposition played a crucial role in resisting the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia,' according to the museum.

The museum's focus on Havel is in conjunction with an initiative called Havel@80, in which events are being held across the world to remember Havel's work for universal human rights and democracy. Democracy was something to be fought for and defended, not taken for granted and not just a periodical duty when an election occurs, Havel had said.

Leah Wilson, vice president, said the works of Havel are good to remember in the polarized political climate in the United States leading up to the 2016 election.

'It's an election year,' Wilson said. 'For those people who haven't tuned out at this point in race, we are looking at a lot of upheaval in this country, people at odds. We see it in social media discussions and arguments. Comments deteriorate. We may hastily share opinions without face-to-face civic discourse.'

Wilson said the hope for an event such as this is to create a safe place for discourse where people can examine political beliefs in respectful ways.

The forum is in line with the museum's newest strategic plan, which set forth human rights as the No. 1 focus area for 2015-2020. Lessons and stories from the Czech and Slovak history should be used as a platform to discuss issues of today in Iowa, America and the world, according to the plan.

'The role of museums are changing,' Wilson said. 'We are a museum that came from this community to serve this community. It is important for organizations like ours to stay connected to mistakes of our past and put them in current context.'