Madeleine K. Albright’s message of freedom and democracy

In honor of Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel’s visit to FIU 10 years ago, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright addressed FIU students, faculty, staff and members of the community this week as part of the Ruth K. and Shepard Broad Distinguished Lecture Series from the School of International and Public Affairs.

A playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician, Havel became a symbol of the civic opposition to the communist government in Czechoslovakia. After the Prague “Velvet Revolution” that toppled the communist regime, Havel became president of Czechoslovakia, and later the first president of the Czech Republic. Ten years ago, Havel came to FIU and delivered remarks about freedom in support of a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba.

Albright, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, delivered her own message of freedom and put Havel’s visit in perspective for those in attendance.

“Havel’s approach to life was very much like that of a student’s,” Albright said. “He had an inquisitive mind and never stopped believing that with effort and courage we could make the world a better place for all.”

Havel’s legacy will live on at FIU with the new Vaclav Havel Center for Human Rights and Diplomacy. The center will advance the study of human rights and its impact on democratic transitions. Through research, lectures, internships and conferences, the center will provide students with the opportunity to learn from distinguished practitioners with expertise in diplomacy, activism and policy implementation. The center will look at countries that are going from authoritarian rule to democracy, like Libya and Syria, as well as the current state of affairs in other countries such as Cuba.

When asked about America’s role in the world’s quest for freedom, Albright said. “There is a big difference between imposing democracy and promoting democracy, and America must continue to promote democratic governments.”

Albright is chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm and chair of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets. She was the 64th secretary of state of the United States. In 1996, Albright received an honorary degree from FIU. She is a professor in the practice of diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

The lecture was followed by a panel discussion featuring:

• Thomas Dine, President of the American Friends of the Czech Republic
• The Honorable Petr Gandalovic, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the U.S.
• Carl Gershman, President of the National Endowment for Democracy
• Martin Palous, Director, Vaclav Havel Library, SIPA Senior Fellow
• Marifeli Perez-Stable, Interim Director, Latin American and Caribbean Center