National day celebrations - Václav Havel's legacy resonates with the Nigerian reality

28.10.2020 / 11:09 | Aktualizováno: 22.02.2021 / 16:39

On the occasion of the celebrations of the national day of the Czech Republic, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abuja organized an essay competition on the topic of Václav Havel, his legacy and the Nigerian reality. In cooperation with Doveland High School in Lokogoma and the IFAF foundation, a very specific history lesson took place on October 27, 2020, during which two sepakers gave 32 of the school's best students an explanation of Václav Havel, his life and legacy. The students then wrote an essay on this topic. The expert jury evaluated the essays and selected the winner. Susan Olusan arrived the same evening with her parents, school principal, organizers and sponsor of the competition, Eric Fantodji from CFAO MOTORS, at the residence of Ambassador Skolil, where a small celebration took place in compliance with all the covid rules of the Nigerian government. Havel's legacy resonates particularly strongly in contemporary Nigeria.

In cooperation with the International Friendship Arts Foundation (IFAF), an organization that aims to educate children and young people through art and culture and collaborates with local educational institutions, the Embassy has organized an essay competition. Special thanks go to the director of the organization, Ms. Ngozi John-Uyah, who coordinated the preparations for the competition at this difficult time. Thanks to the friendly approach of Doveland High School and its Principal Mr. Shola Kareem, it was possible to organize the competition in compliance with all the covid rules of the Nigerian government. Thanks to the cooperation with the company CFAO MOTORS and its general manager, it was also possible to deliver the icing on the cake to the competition by giving to the winner a new study tablet as the main prize.

The jury was surprised by the quality of the essays. Except for a few minor factual inconsistencies, most students understood Václav Havel's legacy, and therefore the Velvet Revolution, very well. Havel's legacy resonates particularly strongly in contemporary Nigeria.