Václav Havel and Lech Wałęsa: Symbols of European Unity
In the European Union, countries that were once divided by the Iron Curtain have come together, with Václav Havel and Lech Wałęsa standing as symbols on which this European unity is built. It has become a common practice for EU politicians to refer to them during significant events. Roberta Metsola mentioned them in her speech after being elected President of the European Parliament, stating, „My generation does not see the old and new Europe. We are the first generation of Erasmus and the last generation of Havel and Wałęsa. We understand that equality and opportunities are the same.“
Václav Havel is often revisited by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. In one of her annual speeches on the state of the European Union, she spoke about the common core values that brought down the Iron Curtain. She highlighted the desires of the people in the Eastern Bloc to end surveillance and state-organized espionage, as well as to eradicate corruption. Their dream was freedom, the opportunity to live differently from the majority. Former Czech President Václav Havel could not have been clearer: the people then wanted all these „grand European values.“
Although the Czech Republic joined the European Union after Václav Havel’s presidency, he remains the Czech president who most frequently addressed the European Parliament. He first visited the European Parliament in 1994, advocating primarily for support for the EU enlargement process. He also reflected on the then relatively new Maastricht Treaty, noting that it was too technocratic, lacking a soul.
In his return to the European Parliament in 2000, Havel’s speech was timeless. He pondered on what constitutes European identity and proposed several institutional changes to bring the Union closer to its citizens, such as the creation of a European Constitution. He inspired the later unsuccessful attempt to create a European Constitution.
His speech in 2009 on the anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain was equally timeless. He emphasized the shared responsibility of all passengers on the same ship, symbolizing Europe’s direction.
Many of Václav Havel’s ideas from his speeches remain relevant years after he delivered them on the EU stage. His most famous European speech, „Europe as a Task,“ which the Czech presidency adopted as its motto, was actually delivered in Aachen in 1996 during the presentation of the Charlemagne Prize.
In honor of Václav Havel, one of the buildings in the European Parliament in Strasbourg bears his name. It was opened in 2017 in the presence of the then-President of the Parliament, Antonio Tajani, and Dagmar Havlová, who also unveiled Havel’s bronze bust at the entrance.
In conclusion, Václav Havel and Lech Wałęsa continue to be revered as symbols of European unity and values, with their legacy living on in the hearts and minds of Europeans. Their contributions to the European project serve as a reminder of the importance of freedom, democracy, and shared responsibility in shaping the future of the continent.