Czech Senate speaker, Tsai reflect on Havel's legacy at Taipei seminar

Taipei, June 3 (CNA) Visiting Czech Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil and former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday reflected on the legacy of human rights advocate Václav Havel and the shared democratic values of Taiwan and the Czech Republic at a Taipei seminar named after the late Czech president.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Tsai said she had a personal connection to Havel, having met him at a Forum 2000 conference in Prague in 2004, where he was one of the event's founders.

Later that year, Havel visited Taiwan and shared stories of the Czech Republic's democratic development, Tsai said.

Havel, who was elected president of Czechoslovakia and later became the first president of the Czech Republic, inspired people around the world to strive for freedom, dignity and democracy, she said.

"His message resonated deeply with many in Taiwan, who saw in Czechia's experience a reflection of our own democratic journey," Tsai said.

"In Taiwan, as in the Czech Republic, we believe that the people should have a powerful voice in shaping our collective future and should be afforded the dignity, freedom, and human rights that democracy protects," she said.

Vystrčil, who is on a four-day visit to Taiwan, said the Czech Senate, Taiwan and Havel are symbolically connected because 2026 marks important 30th anniversaries for all three.

In 1996, Taiwan held its first direct presidential election, highlighting its "definitive transition from authoritarian rule to democracy," he said.

The same year, Havel delivered a famous speech titled "Europe as a Task," in which he called for a united Europe to serve as a global inspiration for shared democratic values, Vystrčil said.

The Czech Senate was also formally established in 1996, he added.

Vystrčil, who is making his second visit to Taiwan after previously visiting in 2020 during Tsai's presidency, said it was important for his country, Taiwan and all free countries to address the shared task at hand.

"I am convinced that in today's world, resilience and security are more important than immediate profit or the lowest possible price," he said.

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The two made the remarks at the opening of the "Václav Havel Dialogues: Human Rights and Responsibility in a Changing World."

The half-day event was jointly organized by National Chengchi University, the Czech Centre Taipei and Sinopsis.

Havel died in 2011 at the age of 75.

According to the organizers, the event was held to mark what would have been Havel's 90th birthday and brought together figures from public life and academia to reflect on the enduring relevance of his legacy.