Jan 6, 2012

Statement by President Barack Obama for the Memorial Tribute to Vaclav Havel

January 6, 2012
Washington, D.C.

I am grateful to join with all of you in paying tribute to the life and work of Vaclav Havel, a playwright and prisoner of conscience who became a president and who continues to be an inspiration for people all over the world seeking freedom. I thank the National Endowment for Democracy, the Embassy of the Czech Republic here in Washington and the Vaclav Havel Library in Prague for organizing this event. I am especially pleased that Madeleine Albright – a woman who has contributed so much to both the United States and the Czech Republic – is able to share this message with you. It is fitting that this event is taking place today, on the 35th anniversary of the publication of the Charter 77, in which Vaclav Havel played such a major role. By calling the communist government to account for its failure to abide by human rights obligations that it itself had undertaken, the Charter exposed what President Havel called the “hypocrisy and lies” of the system and showed how individuals could change their society through peaceful dissent and by “living within the truth.”

Having encountered many setbacks, President Havel lived with a spirit of hope, which he defined as “the ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.” His peaceful resistance shook the foundations of an empire, exposed the emptiness of a repressive ideology, and proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon. He demonstrated what he called “the power of the powerless” to effect real change through individual action and civil disobedience, placing him amongst giants of history from Gandhi to King to Mandela who have demonstrated the moral force of nonviolence. He played a seminal role in the Velvet Revolution that won his people their freedom and inspired generations to reach for self-determination and dignity in all parts of the world. He also embodied the aspirations of half a continent that had been cut off by the Iron Curtain, and helped unleash tides of history that led to a united and democratic Europe. He continues to serve as a beacon to all those still struggling for freedom in our world today.

Like millions of others, I was inspired by his words and leadership, and was humbled to stand with the Czech people in a free and vibrant Hradcany Square as President. The high esteem in which Vaclav Havel was universally held was demonstrated by the dozens of world leaders and dignitaries who attended his funeral and the throngs of Czechs who lined the procession route to St. Vitus Church. I extend my condolences to President Havel’s family and all those in the Czech Republic and around the world who remain inspired by his example. Vaclav Havel was a friend to America and to all who strive for freedom and dignity, and his words will echo through the ages. His legacy continues call on all of us to live within the truth.