The Baltic states in August, Hungary in October, Germany and Bulgaria in November with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and Romania in December. This was the series of demonstrations against the communist regimes which led to the collapse of governments across the former Eastern Bloc 30 years ago. This year’s big anniversary will be commemorated by the ‘Thank you, that we can’ [‘Díky, že můžem’] initiative, of which the City of Brno is a part. Photo: Brno Daily.
Brno, Aug 22 (BD) – Illuminating important sites across Europe with the national colours of nations that are commemorating the victory of democracy over totalitarianism, and thus symbolically celebrating 30 years of freedom together – this is the goal of a group of students from the initiative ‘Thank you, that we can’. “In demonstrations and other events which led to the end of totalitarian regimes, students always played an important role. Therefore, I think it is natural that Brno, as a university city whose identity is largely created by students, will join this initiative and support it by participating,” said Markéta Vaňková, Mayor of Brno.
“In Brno, the Mahen Theater and Goose on a String will be illuminated on specific days, and the fountain at the Janáček Theater will also be bathed in colour. The first anniversary falls on August 23 – on that day 30 years ago, two million people in the Baltic Republics formed a human chain of about 600 kilometres. It is worth mentioning that Brno will be the only one of the 30 participating European cities in which the national colors of all three republics will light up,” said Marek Fišer, Brno Council Member for Culture. Mahen Theatre’s facade will be lit up in red and white (Latvia) and the Goose on a String facade in yellow, green and red (Lithuania). The water wall at the Janáček Theater will take the Estonian colours of blue, black and white.
Hungary (red, white, green) will follow on 23 October, Germany (black, red, yellow) on the weekend of November 9, and Bulgaria (white, green, red) on November 10. On the Czech and Slovak anniversary on Sunday, 17 November, Špilberk will light up in the national tricolor. Romania will close the series on 16 December (blue, yellow, red).
In the Czech Republic, Prague’s Petřín and Žižkov towers will be lit up as part of the same initiative, as well as Riga and Sofia City Halls and the TV tower in Pécs, Hungary. In total, a symbolic number of 30 cities will join the celebration of 30 years of freedom.
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