The Embassy of Slovakia in Moldova opened an exhibition dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, which brought to an end the Communist dictatorship in this country, at the National Library in Chisinau on November 24, IPN reports.

“The exhibition includes banners, pictures accompanied by wording and other photos centering on the path covered by Slovakia in these 25 years of the Velvet Revolution: starting with the events that happened 25 years ago and then the evolution of Slovakia, how it became a member of the European Union,” National Library director general Alexe Rau has told IPN. He added that the exhibition will be open to the public for a month. It is housed by the hall “Vasile Alecsandri”.

“We must say it clearly that without the Velvet Revolution, we wouldn’t have had an independent, free and sovereign Slovakia that followed the path to changes, reforms and integration and is today a model of successful integration. Therefore, we support Moldova’s modernization. We want Moldova to become a model of success in development and transformations,” stated Slovak Ambassador in Chisinau Robert Kirnag.

The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia. The period of upheaval and transition took place from November 16/17 to December 29, 1989. Popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia combined students and older dissidents. The final result was the end of 41 years of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia, and the subsequent conversion to a parliamentary republic, with Václav Havel being elected President of Czechoslovakia on December 29, 1989.