Today’s Doodle celebrates Slovakia’s Freedom & Democracy Day. One of the Central European country’s most important national holidays, November 17 marks an important anniversary in Slovakia’s struggle for liberty and government by the people.
On this day in 1989, thousands of university students lit candles and chanted “we have bare hands” in unarmed protest against Czechoslovakia’s repressive Soviet-backed government. The demonstration was inspired by a similar uprising 50 years before during World War II. A series of escalating protests triggered the nonviolent “Velvet Revolution,” which led to democratic reforms that allowed dissident playwright Václav Havel to be elected President of Czechoslovakia the following month.
Although the Czech Republic and Slovakia became separate states in 1993, Freedom & Democracy Day is still observed in both countries. The occasion is marked by street festivals, cultural events, candle-lighting ceremonies, and government officials paying respect to the sacrifices of student activists over the years.
17.11.2019-Sunday-ஞாயிறு-Doodle-Slovakia Freedom & Democracy Day 2019-JPEG.
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