ROB CAMERON

The Dalai Lama has long been a regular guest at the Forum 2000 conference, the annual meeting of minds organised by the late president Václav Havel. In 2006, his appearance came just days after North Korea claimed it had successfully detonated a nuclear device, an event that caused a shudder of alarm throughout the world.

The anniversary of the Velvet Revolution on November 17th 1989 is now a national holiday. It’s an opportunity to look back on a defining moment and take the temperature of Czech (and Slovak) society. For the 20th anniversary, those who were at the heart of the revolution – including the shy playwright who became president – shared their memories and thoughts.

Václav Havel died at his country home – Hrádeček – on the morning of Sunday, December 18th, 2011. He’d appeared a few months previously at the unveiling of a statue to Woodrow Wilson, looking frail and gaunt. However his death – at the age of 75 – still came as a great shock. Havel’s state funeral five days later was a momentous and immensely moving experience.

Thousands of people have protested against Czech President Miloš Zeman on the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which ended communist rule. Demonstrators carried football-style red cards as a warning to Mr Zeman, while others threw eggs. One accidentally hit the German president. Many are angry with Mr Zeman, who they see as too sympathetic to Russia.