Welcome to the Václav Havel Bench

This bench at the Jean Monnet House joins 48 other Václav Havel places around the world, connecting you to a network of discussions happening right now across the world inspired by the work of the Czechoslovak playwright, philosopher, dissident, politician and head of state.

The Václav Havel Bench at the Jean Monnet House in Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, January 2023 © Pavel Černoch

Who was Václav Havel?

The life of Václav Havel was a journey from the world of theatre, to dissident writing after the 1968 occupation of Czechoslovakia, to the Presidency of the Czech Republic. Havel was a firm advocate of European integration, reminding others of the dangers of a Europe that continued to be divided even after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

For his biography and the text of his speech to the European Parliament in 1994, download this booklet in Czech (PDF), Slovak (PDF), English (PDF), French (PDF) and German (PDF).

What is a Václav Havel Place?

A Václav Havel Place comprises two chairs decorated with ‘Havel hearts’ (Havel used to put a heart under his signature as a symbol for truth and love) joined to a round table which has a Linden tree, the Czech national tree, growing through its centre. The table is inscribed with the famous quote of Havel: "Truth and love must win over lies and hatred!"

This design, created by the architect and designer Bořek Šípek, aims to facilitate open dialogue and reflection in the spirit of the ideals and philosophy of Havel. With places in 49 locations worldwide, the Václav Havel Place project connects visitors to an international network of discussion, contemplation and memory.

Watch: Václav Havel's speech to the European Parliament, 16 February 2000

Havel, the Jean Monnet House, and the European Parliament

On 13 June 2022, the Václav Havel place was inaugurated at the Jean Monnet House in Bazoches-sur-Guyonne in the presence of President Roberta Metsola and all members of Parliament’s Bureau, together with Michael Žantovský, Director of the Havel Library in Prague.

The creation of this space demonstrates the continued recognition of Václav Havel in the European Union and the ongoing work towards European integration since the initiatives of Jean Monnet, a ‘founding father’ of the EU, and his contemporaries. This tribute follows the naming of a European Parliament building in Strasbourg in July 2017 after Havel in recognition of his tireless battle for human rights, democracy and a united and reconciled Europe.

Michael Žantovský, Director of the Václav Havel Library in discussion with Pavel Černoch of the Jean Monnet Academy, Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, 13 June 2022 © Pavel Černoch