Václav Havel significantly shaped both the democratic character of the Czech Republic and its position in the world. As a playwright and author, he advocated freedom of expression; as a dissident, he faced persecution by the former regime; and as a statesman, he helped guide the Czech Republic back among the democratic nations of Europe. On the occasion of what would have been his 90th birthday, we remember the legacy of a man whose ideas on responsibility, truth, and human rights continue to inspire people today.