In addition, and on a completely different note, Secretary Clinton issued some remarks on the 20th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. As I mentioned in relation to the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, that event touched off a series of collapses of Soviet Bloc governments. It seemed that every week another Eastern Bloc government fell, the people took over, and the Iron Curtain ripped and disintegrated. More remarks like these will be issued, as we progress through anniversaries of that fall of the Soviet Empire.
For many of us, this one in Czechoslovakia was especially sweet since we had seen an earlier effort in 1968 that was mirrored by a tipping point in our own anti-war movement here and protests in the streets of Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. It was wonderful to see these brave people finally free.
Here are the Secretary's remarks.
Statement on 20th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
November 17, 2009
Twenty years ago, the people of Czechoslovakia carried forward the wave of freedom that began in the Polish shipyards, surged over the Wall in Berlin, and ultimately liberated millions of people across Europe. Americans prayed for the students in Prague who faced down an oppressive regime and propelled a dissident playwright from prison to the presidency. We cheered for a nation that had grasped for liberty in the spring of 1968 and seen its dreams deferred for decades. And when democracy finally came, we welcomed new partners committed to building a free and unified Europe and a more peaceful and prosperous world.
Today we celebrate the vibrant democracies of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and salute those who worked to bring freedom to their land -- the dissidents and activists who risked all they had to demand a free and better life, the mothers and fathers, workers and students who never lost faith that a system built on tyranny and oppression could and would be overcome. Thanks to their sacrifice, Tomas Masaryk’s vision of a democratic society thrives today in Middle Europe.
On this historic occasion, I congratulate the Czech Republic and Slovakia on twenty years of democracy and reaffirm the commitment of the United States to our strong alliance as we work together to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the 21st century.
