Inauguration of the Havel’s Place in Monaco

Inauguration du Banc Václav Havel © Direction de la communication du Gouvernement Princier - Manuel Vitali

On Wednesday 29 May, H.S.H. Prince Albert II inaugurated a Havel’s Place installation in the gardens of the Pavillon Bosio in the presence of Mr Patrice Cellario, Minister of the Interior, Ms Céline Caron-Dagioni, Minister of Public Works, and Ms Isabelle Berro-Amadei, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, as well as Mr Michal Fleischmann, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Monaco.

Designed by the architect Bořek Šípek, the installation is a place of remembrance inspired by the democratic ideals of Mr Vaclav Havel, the first President of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic from 1989 to 1992 and then President of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003.

The installation, which symbolises a commitment to dialogue and democracy, consists of two metal garden chairs around a round table with a linden tree in its middle, the national tree of the Czech Republic. Vaclav Havel’s motto is inscribed along the rim of the table: “Truth and love shall prevail over lies and hatred”.

There are now 52 such ‘Places’ installed in countries on three continents: in Europe, the Middle East and North America.