Conference BORDERS OF (UN)FREEDOM. Timothy Snyder gives a seminal lecture in Prague to an audience that included President Pavel

Historian, writer and Yale University professor Timothy Snyder returned to Prague for a major public event after several years. His keynote lecture "Havel, Unpredictability and Freedom" was the highlight of the conference.

The program also included a thoughtful and impactful debate with esteemed Ukrainian journalist Sevgil Musaieva, editor-in-chief of the online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda in Kiev. While Sevgil Musaieva brought the personal dimension to the discussion, Timothy Snyder provided the theoretical and historical context.

The night kicked off with live recordings of the podcasts Chyba systému (System Error), Na východ! (To the East!) and Přepište dějiny (Rewrite History).

"The borders of (un)freedom are not just a matter of political maps, but above all of history: who controls the present controls the past. And who controls the past controls the future. Today, few have resisted the Kremlin's efforts to colonize the past – and thus the future and space – of Central and Eastern Europe more eruditely than Timothy Snyder. And one of his main inspirations is Václav Havel," said Milan Babík, director of the Václav Havel Library.

The honorary guest of the conference was Czech President Petr Pavel, who came to listen to the keynote speech and following debate. The event was held at the Vzlet cultural center in the Vršovice area of Prague.