Jan Palach's Self-Immolation Anniversary Commemorates the Sacrifice of Romas Kalanta
The fiftieth anniversary of the Jan Palach self-immolation is taking place in the Czech Republic. On January 16th 1969, in the centre of Prague he poured gasoline over himself and set himself on fire, in protest against the Soviet occupation. At that time, he was not the only protester in the Soviet bloc to sacrifice his own life. Today, at the conference organized by the Charles University in Prague to commemorate the deed of its student Jan Palach, also Romas Kalanta from Lithuania and other "living torches" were presented.
Ambassador Edvilas Raudonikis in his address at the conference depicted the historical context of these tragic events, as well as the general trends in the region. Despite closed borders and censorship, such self-sacrifices occurred not only in the Czech Republic, but also in Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, Ukraine and Latvia in the same period in time.
The Ambassador explained how Kalanta's sacrifice affected the activities of Lithuanians abroad reminding the world of Lithuania's occupation, and what it meant to the subsequent events of the "singing revolution" in the eighties.
An exhibition Jan Palach and other "living torches" has been opened at the Carolinum of the Charles University.
Czech Television informed about the events with extended reports. Find out more in the interview with the ambassador Edvilas Raudonikis (starts at 7:17 min.):
https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/10101491767-studio-ct24/219411058290117?fbclid=IwAR1p1E9TBbNFmrtnzHDBLfEwQGOyDzpuSxqw3mZY1zEHmKL7I78n1g8MHAo
