Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day in Czechia ― Date, History, and Details
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History of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day in Czechia and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (Czech: Den boje za svobodu a demokracii) is a public holiday in the Czech Republic celebrated on 17 November. It commemorates the Velvet Revolution of 1989, when a peaceful student demonstration against the communist government turned into a nationwide uprising that toppled the regime.
The day is also known as Students’ Day, as it was students who were at the forefront of the protests. The holiday was first celebrated in 1990, and has been a public holiday since 2000.
On 17 November 1989, several thousand students from colleges and universities in Prague converged on Wenceslas Square to protest the communist government’s decision to ban a rock concert. The demonstration turned into a mass rally when police began attacking the protesters.
The following day, 18 November, saw even larger protests, with an estimated half a million people taking to the streets in Prague and other cities across Czechoslovakia. The protests continued over the next few days, and on 21 November the Communist Party announced its intention to relinquish power.
A new government, led by dissident playwright Vaclav Havel, was sworn in on 29 December 1989. The Velvet Revolution ushered in a new era of democracy and freedom for the Czech people.