Recording made at an evening programme with Madla Vaculíková and Pavel Kosatík. "I am the oats" is the second edition of an interview in which the author of two books of correspondence (with Czech famous artist Jiří Kolář) draws attention, by means of unusual opinions and wise approach, to current cultural and social events.

The Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Petr Pithart, was interviewed about his work in the dissident underground, Civic Forum, his Senate experience, Czech and European issues, and Václav Havel, by the journalist Jan Macháček.

Representatives of the literary underground in Belarus – Vladimír Glazov, Anton Rudak and Max Ščur – took part in a presentation at the Václav Havel Library. The poets capture the raw reality of life under an authoritarian regime. However, they are not well known names in independent culture; rather they and their audience represent the “underground of the underground”. The evening was hosted by Czech studies expert and translator Siarhei Smatrychenka, while Adam Vavřík read Czech translations.

Recording of an evening featuring an association of writers, critics and University of Pardubice students who are both mapping and creating Czech literature. Petr Poslední, Jiří Studený, Antonín K. K. Kudláč, and Jana Orlová read from their work, while Ivo Říha presented the latest issue of the “TAHY” literary journal.

Recording of an evening, presented by Anna Karenina and Miroslav Bambušek, on the life and work of Louis Ferdinand Céline that was held on the premises of the Václav Havel Library.

Recording made at an evening programme with Ludvík Vaculík at the premises of the Václav Havel Library.

An evening programme with reading by authors Katerina Tuckova and Petr Cichon at the premises of the Vaclav Havel Library.

Recording of the ceremonial launch of Adam Hradilek and Jan Dvořák’s exhibition on the fate of Czechoslovak citizens hauled off to Soviet concentration camps. The two historians interviewed dozens of former prisoners and gathered numerous materials from the archives of the NKVD, along with authentic items from labour camp life. Prisoners’ testimonies, photographs and artefacts from the camps are on display in this unique exhibition, which the Václav Havel library is running in conjunction with the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.

Recording of the ceremonial launch of the first English language edition of the novel “Glorious Nemesis” by Ladislav Klíma, a philosopher of “extreme subjectivism”, translated by Marek Tomin and illustrated by Pavel Růt. The presentation of the book, which has been brought out by the American publishing house Twisted Spoon Press, was linked to a reading and discussion of Klíma’s broader cultural influence and context. The evening also included a screening of footage of the Plastic People of the Universe performing Glorious Nemesis in concert in 1979. It was hosted by publisher Howard Sidenberg and editor Martin Machovec.

Recording of an evening of readings by Jiří Sádlo, a biologist with a keen interest in botanical sociology, the dynamics of the post-rustic landscape, non-natural biotopes and caenogenesis. Sádlo is the author of numerous essays and the 2007 book “Prázdná země” (“Empty Earth”), which won an award in a Lidové noviny readers’ competition. The evening was hosted by the critic and poet Dora Kaprálová.

A debate between journalist Jan Macháček and Eliška Wagnerová, one of the last judges appointed in Václav Havel’s era, on the work and position of the Constitutional Court in Czech society. The meeting took place on the occasion of the conclusion of her mandate as a judge and deputy chair of the Czech Constitutional Court.

Lecture by theatre studies specialist Lenka Jungmannová on the genesis of Havel’s first produced play, “The Garden Party” (1963), including presentations of five preserved versions (one newly discovered), the tracing of its motifs through the playwright’s previous work, and discussion of the influence of other theatrical personages on the creation of the play.

A meeting with Bohdan Holomíček, a friend of Václav Havel’s and, by coincidence, his neighbour. Holomíček was for decades a devoted chronicler of goings-on in culture independent of the Communist regime. The evening, hosted by journalist Jan Macháček, introduced previously unknown pictures and films by the photographer.

Recording of the launch of an exhibition of paintings by Michal Singer, which was linked to a reading by poet J. H. Krchovský and the presentation of the book “SINGER/KRCHOVSKÝ”.

Evening of readings by Michal Ajvaz and Bianca Bellová at the permanent exhibition of the Václav Havel Library, Řetězová 7, Prague 1.

Recording of readings from Pavel Zajíček’s newest collection of poetry “Kniha moří” (“Book of the Sea”), accompanied by music by the group DG 307.

Recording of a concert by Kopir Rozsywal Bestar, who are without doubt one of the most interesting groups on the contemporary music scene.

Discussion evening featuring the novelist Pavel Kosatík and the editor-in-chief of the weekly Respekt Erik Tabery at the permanent exhibition of the Václav Havel Library, Řetězová 7, Prague 1.

Jan Štolba, a poet, prose writer, jazz musician and literary critic, publishes his texts and essays in cultural and literary magazines and dailies (Tvar, A2, Host). His 2011 collection of criticism “Lomcování se slovy” (“Agitation with Words”) follows his 2006 book “Nedopadající džbán” (“Unfalling Jug”) which was published by Torst and in 2007 won the F. X. Šalda Prize. Štolba now “agitates with words” in over 52 poetry books and contemporary Czech prose titles. The evening was hosted by Jan Šulc, who led a discussion with the writer.

Tomáš Kafka is a poet, translator, and founding member of the Quašňák creative association. He is now Czech ambassador to Ireland, after previously being particularly active in Berlin. He served as cultural attaché and, among other things, translated the “faecal dramas” of Werner Schwab. Kafka is the author of the poetry collections “Kvaše” (“Gouaches”), “Ze světa” (“From the World”) and “Verše v roce” (“Rhymes in the Year”) and several one-act plays, mainly with a football theme. The evening was presented by Jiří Peňás, culture editor of Lidové noviny.

Announcement of the results of the Václav Havel Library’s Best Student Essay competition. The subject of the third year of the competition was: Freedom of speech and modern communication technology – two sides of the same coin? One of the key genres of Václav Havel’s work is essays, on literary, artistic, social, political, and spiritual topics. His essays, such as the “The Power of the Powerless” and “A Word About Words”, have become classic texts of Czech literature; they have been translated into tens of languages, and are among the few truly world-famous works of Czech culture. This is also why it is necessary to keep cultivating the essay genre in the Czech language – not in the sense of imitating Václav Havel’s writing, but in the spirit of his courage to name unpleasant problems and search for unconventional solutions to them.

The ceremonial launch of a book of interviews with the poet and diplomat Jiří Gruša conducted by Karla Hvížďala. “Gruša’s Guard on the Rhine” contains interviews that we did together over the last 30 or years, mainly in Bonn, Vienna and Prague. If Edvard Beneš was an Austrian for Jiří Gruša, then he himself was a European, like, to name our most interesting ones, St. Adalbert, Comenius and Milan Kundera. The last time we saw one another, on 1 October 2011, he said something to me along these lines: We still haven’t understood that diplomacy and politics aren’t just about defending national interests, but also spreading common sense. And that it isn’t just an ideological task, but burdensome work finding arguments and meaningful dialogue. And if another crisis comes, God help us: The same goes in politics. When it comes to bad things you need a testimonial, and the crisis will deliver that to those hungry for power at any price. In a few days I’m having an operation and He (pointing to heaven) will decide if he needs still needs me and wants me to write something, or whether he doesn’t want me to see how a homeland-trap will open up beneath us.

An evening of readings by four Romany novelists – Andrej Giňa, Jana Hejkrlíková, Irena Eliášová, Ilona Ferková – which took place at the permanent exhibition of the Václav Havel Library.

Presentation of “Motomorphosis” a book of almost unknown drama texts by Václav Havel, linked to a staged reading of the sketch “Ela, Hela and Stop” at the permanent exhibition of the Václav Havel Library.

Flash festival appearance of the Cakes and Puppets (Buchty a loutky) theatre at the Václav Havel Library, performing the premiere of the one-act play “Mountain Hotel”, which Václav Havel wrote in 1976. (© Tomáš Javora)

The ceremonial presentation of the 500th publication by the publishing house, linked to the launch of an exhibition of photography by Viktor Stoilov entitled “Portraits” at the Václav Havel Library (© Tomáš Javora).

Second evening of readings by leading authors of the publishing house TORST at the Václav Havel Library. Two of the most distinctive novelists of the younger generation, Petra Hůlová and Markéta Pilátová, read from their works.