L-R: Lydie Polfer, Luxembourg City's Mayor; Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel; Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala; François Bausch, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mobility & Public Works;
Credit: Jazmin Campbell / Chronicle.lu
The official inauguration of Rue Václav Havel in Luxembourg-Kirchberg took place on Tuesday afternoon during the visit of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala to the Grand Duchy.
The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of the Czech Prime Minister, as well as Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, the President of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg's parliament), Fernand Etgen, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mobility and Public Works, François Bausch, the Mayor of Luxembourg City, Lydie Polfer, the Chair of the Board of Fonds Kirchberg, Félicie Weycker, and the Czech Ambassador to Luxembourg, Vladimír Bärtl. Many others braved the cold to witness the inauguration of this new street in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.
Rue Václav Havel is named after the former president of Czechoslovakia and then the Czech Republic, whose famous 1996 speech in Aachen inspired the motto of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2022, adapted to the current situation: "Europe as a Task". To quote Václav Havel: "...we might say the task of Europe today is to rediscover its conscience and its sense of responsibility in the deepest sense of the word, not just with regard its own political architecture but also with regard to the world as a whole."
The inauguration ceremony began with the Confrérie du chant traditionnel au Luxembourg singing the national anthems of the Czech Republic and Luxembourg, as well as the "Anthem of Europe". Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel described this event as a "fitting moment to conclude a year marked by [the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations]" between the Grand Duchy and Czechia. He recalled that these two countries have shared a "special connection for centuries", not only through bilateral relations and membership of the European Union (EU) but also owing to Charles IV, also known as Charles of Luxembourg, who was the first King of Bohemia to become Holy Roman Emperor. He also highlighted the well-known example of the Schueberfouer, which was founded in 1340 based on a charter signed by John the Blind (King of Bohemia). Prime Minister Bettel added that both Luxembourg and Czechia had fought against totalitarianism and had paid a high price for standing for freedom and against Nazi occupation in the past.
Luxembourg's Prime Minister highlighted another link between the two countries: the Jan Palach Square, located off Place d'Armes in Luxembourg's city centre, which is named after the Czech student who set himself on fire in Prague in 1969 in protest against the August 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. Prime Minister Bettel emphasised the importance of keeping his memory alive today, not least in light of current events in Ukraine. He recalled that European integration was a huge success, adding that Václav Havel was one of the architects of "this common story we write together today and [...] in the future". He added that the former Czech Prime Minister's words "still resonate today", as proven by the motto of the Czech Presidency. He went on to quote Václav Havel: "The salvation of this human world lies nowhere else than in the human heart, in the human power to reflect, in human meekness and human responsibility", adding that the former Prime Minister's life demonstrated that "we are stronger together". He thanked the current Czech Prime Minister for his presence, along with that of members of the Czech community in Luxembourg.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that he was pleased that "the spirit of Václav Havel was in good company" in Luxembourg, with this street intersecting Rue Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi - another politician with a close relationship to Czechia and who was also considered an early pioneer of European integration. He noted that many streets in Luxembourg are named after "great people who share the same values" and recalled Václav Havel's strong message of the triumph of truth and love over lies and hatred. Whilst this was not always easy, Prime Minister Petr Fiala recalled that "injustice and oppression are unstable by nature, so the spirit of democracy and freedom will always defeat them". He thanked Luxembourg for this tribute, describing it as "a great honour for my country".
The inauguration ceremony further echoed the symbolic closing of the current Czech Presidency, with the presentation, at the entrance to the new street, of the interactive work of the Czech artist Jiří David, recalling Václav Havel's message of truth and love overcoming lies and hatred. The audiovisual sculpture representing the sound wave of this message (which can also be heard passing under it), was created especially for the occasion under the aegis of Sculpture Line, following a call for tenders by Fonds Kirchberg, the fund in charge of the urbanisation and development of the Kirchberg Plateau.
The ceremony continued in the premises of the nearby European School Luxembourg I with a show by the Czech folk group Melimelo and a cocktail offered by Czech Ambassador Vladimír Bärtl.
Later that day, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala was received in audience by His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg at the Grand Ducal Palace.
