1. VELVET
REVOLUTION
PARTY
November 18th, 2011 @ LAVO CLUB
- 39 East 58th Street, New York -

2. VELVET REVOLUTION - 17.11.1989
The VELVET REVOLUTION refers to a non-violent revolution in former Czechoslovakia
that saw the overthrow of the Communist government. The Velvet/Gentle Revolution was a
start of a democratization process in the country. Czechoslovakia held afterwards its first
democratic elections in summer 1990 after more than 40 years of a totalitarian regime.
• On November 17, 1989, riot police suppressed a peaceful student demonstration in Prague. That event
sparked a series of popular demonstrations from November 19 to late December. By the end of
November the number of peaceful protesters assembled in Prague had swelled from 200,000 the
previous day to an estimated half-million. The peaceful protests seized the all country A two-hour
general strike, involving all citizens of Czechoslovakia, was held on November 27.
•

3. With the collapse of other Communist governments in eastern Europe, and increasing street protests, the Communist
Party of Czechoslovakia announced on November 28 that it would relinquish power and dismantle the single-party state.
Barbed wire and other obstructions were removed from the border with West Germany and Austria in early December.
On December 10, 1989, President Gustáv Husák appointed the first largely non-Communist government in
Czechoslovakia since 1948, and resigned. Alexander Dubček was elected speaker of the federal parliament on December
28 and Václav Havel the President of Czechoslovakia on December 29, 1989. In summer 1990 Czechoslovakia held its
first democratic elections since 1946.

4. 22 years LATER...
The Consulate General of Slovakia in New York
together with
The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York
+421 Foundation and Czech Center New York
present a joint event:
the VELVET REVOLUTION PARTY
to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the fall of communism and
the triumph of democracy in former Czechoslovakia in 1989.

5. We cordially invite you to attend our signature event the
VELVET REVOLUTION PARTY
on November 18th 2011 at LAVO Club.

6. VENUE - LAVO Club

7. www.lavony.com!

8. PROGRAM
" Welcome Drink sponsored by
Double Cross Vodka of Slovakia
" Opening remarks by Hon. Eliska
Zigova, Consul General of Czech
republic in New York and Hon.
Igor Pokojny, Consul General of
Slovakia in New York
" Dance Party by DJ Eitan Noyze

9. PLEASE RSVP by November 15, 2011 at:
rsvp@plus421.org
FACEBOOK: +421 Foundation