Nov. 17 celebrations: Freedom Festival returns with free, English-friendly lineup in Prague

Czechia's annual commemoration of the National Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day is expanding beyond Prague for the first time, with more than 80 institutions across 28 cities hosting 130 events during Freedom Week from Nov. 11-17.

The nationwide celebration of the student revolts that would spark the Velvet Revolution marks a significant shift for the initiative, which previously concentrated activities in the capital. The festival also adds another first this year: English-friendly programming for its lineup of Prague events.

"We've held Freedom Week in Prague twice before and saw how powerfully it resonates across generations," said Program Director Ester Valtrová in a press release. "This year we're taking it beyond the capital for the first time...we want to celebrate freedom where people live it daily, not just in cultural centers but in smaller towns, schools, and community spaces."

The initiative states on its website that a number of talks and exhibits will take place with live translation, ensuring wider access for all.

English-accessible programing will be featured at exhibits and debates throughout Prague in 2025, including a discussion on Czech foreign policy's evolution since NATO and EU membership, hosted by political geographer Michael Romancov, and a talk examining democracy's foundations beyond elections. A debate on Serbian students will be held in English.

Visual exhibitions including Tuzex, recreating the atmosphere of communist-era hard-currency stores inside period trams, and Borders Are Not a Promenade, documenting travel restrictions before 1989, require no translation. See the full line-up of English friendly events here.

The capital's commemorations center on National Avenue, where activities begin at 10 a.m. with a Velvet Brunch and culminate at 5:11 p.m. with Jan Cina's performance of "Prayer for Marta." The day includes debates, exhibitions and an audiovisual installation on the Metro Palace facade. Several cultural institutions including the National Museum and National Gallery will offer free admission from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wenceslas Square will host the traditional Concert for the Future from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., featuring performances by Aneta Langerová, Barbora Poláková and other artists.

A separate March for Nation and Freedom begins at 2 p.m. from the upper square. The civic group Million Moments for Democracy plans a 3 p.m. demonstration at Old Town Square titled "Czech Republic is Not for Sale," expressing opposition to the emerging government coalition.

This year's programming incorporates two additional historical milestones: the 75th anniversaries of the judicial murder of politician Milada Horáková and the torture death of Catholic priest Josef Toufar under communist rule. Events will address themes including political prisoners and the underground church’s functioning during the totalitarian era.

The National Theatre will host the 16th annual Memory of the Nation Awards at 8 p.m., honoring individuals who resisted totalitarian regimes, including recipients from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

The Czech Philharmonic will perform Mahler's Second Symphony at Rudolfinum, broadcast live on Czech Radio Vltava.

The Nov. 17 commemorations honor multiple generations of Czech students who challenged authoritarian rule. The date marks both the 1939 Nazi closure of Czech universities following student protests, which led to the execution of nine student leaders, including Jan Opletal, and the 1989 student demonstration that sparked the Velvet Revolution, 36 years ago.

The finale Korzo Národní event will feature 118 program points, including the Slovak musician Mário Bihári performing the national anthem and Jan Cina's rendition of Prayer for Marta at 5:11 p.m., the symbolic time of the 1989 student demonstration that sparked the revolution.

Charles University will host day-long celebrations at multiple locations. At the same time, the traditional Velvet Parade, beginning at 3 p.m. on Kampa, will feature students and teachers from universities alongside musical ensembles marching through the city center. The parade route crosses Charles Bridge and Old Town Square before ending at Hybernská Campus.

The celebration is part of the broader Freedom Festival, an open coalition of civic initiatives that organizes commemorative events nationwide. Díky, že můžem, founded by students twelve years ago to ensure Národní Avenue wouldn’t remain empty on the anniversary, has evolved from a single-day Prague event into a week-long, country-wide movement engaging young Czechs with democratic values.

"The atmosphere in our society might not be particularly optimistic these days, especially after the intense election period, but that is why we feel an even stronger urge to highlight and celebrate our shared freedoms and democratic values," the organization writes of this year's anniversary on its website.