Freedom and responsibility in the context of today’s world

Some politicians may prefer these restrictions to remain in place as long as possible or even indefinitely. On the other hand, today’s times demand increased personal responsibility and consideration for others, awakening solidarity and a sense of belonging in individuals. It is also an opportunity to return once again to the ideas of Václav Havel and their origins.

Who is Michael Žantovský?

Since September 1, 2015, Michael Žantovský has been the director of the Václav Havel Library. Before that, he served as the ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Kingdom, Israel, and the United States. He studied psychology at Charles University and McGill University in Montreal and worked as a researcher at the Psychiatric Research Institute in Prague. In the 1980s, he worked as an independent translator, journalist, and lyricist. He contributed to samizdat publications and from 1988 was the Prague correspondent for Reuters. In 2008, under the name Daniel Wolf, he published the novel Cooling about the dramatic crisis in relations between Europe and Russia, which in many ways foreshadowed real events. He is the author of the biography of the late president HAVEL, published in Czech, English, and other languages in November 2014.

In November 1989, he co-founded the Civic Forum and became its spokesperson in December 1989. In January 1990, he became the press secretary and spokesperson for President Václav Havel. He was also the political coordinator of the president’s office. From 1996 to 2002, he was a senator in the Parliament of the Czech Republic and chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security. In 1997 and 2001–2, he was chairman of the Civic Democratic Alliance.