Nov 17, 2021
Slovakia Freedom and Democracy Day 2021
Each year on November 17, Slovakians around the world observe their annual Freedom and Democracy Day. Today’s Doodle celebrates this nationwide holiday and honors the milestone events that resulted in Slovakia becoming a nation governed by its people.
On November 15, 1939, a group of Czechoslovakian students catalyzed a series of occupation protests. This show of national resilience reached a fever pitch on November 17 as thousands demanded freedom from the oppression of foreign powers. Fifty years later, peaceful protests inspired by these events began on November 16 in Prague and Bratislava, the modern capital of Slovakia.
Led primarily by students and artists, the demonstrations sparked what is now known in Slovakia as the “Gentle Revolution.” On this day in 1989, one day after a peaceful protest in Bratislava had come to an end, the government announced the transition of power. This historic announcement was followed by thousands jingling their keys, a symbolic act that represents the unlocking of a democratic government and continues to be used in public demonstrations today.
Happy Freedom and Democracy Day, Slovakia!
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