Commemoration of Jan Palach

Jan Palach Memorial Day, which falls on January 16, was commemorated by the Vice-Rectors Martina Kuncová and Iveta Slancová and the Chair of the Academic Senate Hana Vojáčková by laying flowers at the Keys Memorial in Jihlava. They commemorated Jan Palach, a student of the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, who remains one of the most significant symbols of the fight for freedom and human dignity in Czech history. "His act in January 1969 was an extremely painful but deeply significant message that affected not only Czechoslovakia at the time, but the whole world. It is our duty to commemorate Jan Palach and his legacy so that future generations will not forget that freedom is not a given," said Iveta Slancová, Vice-Rector for Development, Strategy and Quality at the College of Polytechnics Jihlava.

The student Jan Palach set himself on fire in 1969 to protest against the suppression of freedoms and the passive attitude of the public after the beginning of the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the armies of the Warsaw Pact countries. His act was intended to arouse society and to draw attention to the need for active resistance against occupation and censorship.

The flower was laid this year at the Keys Memorial in Jihlava. "The Key Monument commemorates the events of November 17, 1989 and thus the victory of those who longed for freedom and democracy. Jan Palach was one of them." Martina Kuncová, Vice-Rector for Studies at the College of Polytechnics, added.