Havel Conversations 2016-2017

The Havel Conversations project is an oral history initiative in which artists, activists and politicians reflect upon Vaclav Havel’s legacy, and themes close to the late Czech president such as cultural diplomacy and human rights. This collection of interviews with American politicians (such as Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright), and artists (such as Suzanne Vega) stresses the work that Havel undertook to foster Czechoslovak-American, and then later, Czech-American relations. These semi-structured interviews with those who knew Havel personally complement written sources which consider his political decisions from the top down; taken together, the interviews make the case for understanding policymaking as a series of conversations, instead of a paper-trail of memos. The Havel Conversations collection consists of video interviews and PDF transcripts, housed in full at Florida International University Libraries and also available online at www.havelcenter.org.

Havel Conversations: Demonstrating the Power of Words

The project is made possible by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the author.

Interview between Bill Clinton and Lenka Kabrhelová

Interview between Carl Gershman and Lenka Kabrhelová

Interview between Henry Kissinger and Martin Řezníček

Interview between Lee Bollinger and Lenka Kabrhelová

Interview between Madeleine Albright and Lenka Kabrhelová

Interview between Paul Wilson and Rosamund Johnston

Interview between Suzanne Vega and Lenka Kabrhelová

Interview between Timothy Snyder and Lenka Kabrhelová

Interview between William Luers and Lenka Kabrhelová