TRUTH PREVAILS, VHC & BBLA 2025 Annual Gala

TRUTH PREVAILS: 2025 GALA HONORING JOAN BAEZ — TICKETS NOW LIVE!

Join Us for an Unforgettable Evening of Legacy, Courage, and Celebration as we honor the enduring legacy of Vaclav Havel and the vibrant Czech and Slovak presence in New York!

The theme of this year’s Gala is “Truth Prevails,” which aims to promote unity and encourage dialogue in our world at a time of unprecedented polarization and division. 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 AT THE BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HALL

5:30 p.m. WELCOME COCKTAILS

7:00 p.m. DINNER & AWARDS

The evening will feature highlights such as a taste of Czech cuisine, an exclusive live auction, a special musical performance, and the presentation of three major awards:

• Presentation of a VHC Lifetime Achievement Award to JOAN BAEZ
• Presentation of the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association Award for Unparalleled Service to the Czech and Slovak Communities to HENRY KALLAN
• Presentation of the VHC Disturbing the Peace Award to a Courageous Writer at Risk

Dress Code: Festive Attire Encouraged – Black Tie Optional

HOST COMMITTEE /in formation/

Joseph Balaz, Elliot S. Berke, David Dusek, Stephen B. Heintz and Lise Stone, Katya Heller, Charlotta Kotik, Wendy Luers, Martin Palous, Martin Plavec, Andrew H. Schapiro and Tamar Newberger, John Shattuck and Ellen Hume, Bill Shipsey, Petr Simunek, Peter Sis, Jack and Patricia Stack, Rose Styron, Salil Tripathi

This event is organized by the Vaclav Havel Center & the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association. All proceeds will benefit the Vaclav Havel Center, a not-for-profit organization established in the United States that promotes democratic freedoms, universal human rights, and the power of the arts to uplift and transform our lives in the spirit of Vaclav Havel.

All but $150/per person of each ticket is tax-deductible. In order to be acknowledged in the event program, please submit your reservation by September 10, 2025.