Honoring history and reaching out

The International School of Prague (ISP) has embraced a creative approach to educating young people and the broader community about the historic events that led up to the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the establishment of an independent Czech state.

With Falling Walls - ISP's ongoing series dedicated to commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution - the institution hosted two days (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) of lectures, discussion forums and other educational events. Scholar Ivan Havel, former student activist Monika Pajerová and more than 14 other speakers from the Czech community engaged with 250 older students during the first phase of the series. ISP will mount a smaller version of the event later this month for younger members of the student body.

Lawrence Hrubes, one of the event's organizers, explains the impetus for the series came from the difficulty young people have comprehending the realities of life under communism. "The fall happened before anyone attending the school was born," he explains. "The students needed context about what life under communism was really like."

Talks and interactive workshops focused on a wide variety of related subjects, including the relationship of theater to the revolution, the challenges of leading a religious life in an atheist state, the difficulties of travel, the unlikely solidarity of disparate subcultures (punks, Buddhists, environmentalists, etc.) and many other relevant themes concerning aspects of life before the revolution.

The series will culminate Nov. 18 with an encore presentation of The Power of the Powerless, Cory Taylor's award-winning documentary film examining the struggle for freedom during the communist era in Czechoslovakia.

Narrated by Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, the film features interviews with Václav Havel, John Bok, Jiřina Šiklová and other former dissidents as they attempt to shed light on lingering questions about the past that continue to haunt many Czechs today. Many of the events portrayed will be familiar to those even moderately well-versed in modern Czech history, but the opportunity to learn what life was really like for the blacklisted minority in this country from firsthand accounts is of considerable value to students and adults alike.

Taylor, whose previous work on similar subject matter earned him an Emmy, will attend the screening and interact with the ISP community. In a Director's Statement, Taylor explains, "Though many informed people see the relevance of the Velvet Revolution to current events, great majorities of people around the world are still unaware of this inspiring story." Convinced as he is that many young people remain in the dark about the country's communist past, Taylor goes on to say, "Fewer still are those who know about the trials and tribulations Václav Havel and his fellow dissidents endured to achieve a bloodless transfer of power."

To date, the film has been accepted into 15 international film festivals, winning, among other honors, the Golden Palm Award at the Mexico International Film Festival. It has been licensed by television networks in 30 countries, and utilized by human rights organizations in countries where freedom and human rights are in jeopardy.

ISP has generously extended an open invitation to readers interested in the screening. The event will be free, but space is limited, so it is necessary to RSVP if you plan to attend. The film is in English without Czech subtitles, but audience members with even rudimentary English will have no trouble keeping up. The Power of the Powerless was originally screened at ISP for students and participants in the summer workshops, but parents and other members of the community who missed the film have a second chance. Don't miss out on a rare opportunity to join in.

James Walling can be reached at
jwalling@praguepost.com