Born in 1936 in Prague, Václav Havel has an international reputation as a writer, thinker, and catalyst of Czechoslovakia´s democratic movement. He was elected the first President of that country (1990- 1992) and he is currently President of the Czech Republic (since 1993). His known political activity took off in 1968, the year in which he actively took part in the Prague Spring; he was also one of the founders of the momentous Charter 77 human rights initiative -this year marks its 20 year anniversary-. He studied dramaturgy and was one of the most popular playwrights in the country, although his political activities caused the Communist government to ban his work and silence his name. Incarcerated three times, in December of 1989 he was elected director of the new Writers´ Association of his country and at the end of the same month he was elected President of Czechoslovakia by means of an agreement between the Communist regime and the opposition. A few months later, in July 1990, he was elected the first President of his country after the collapse of the old regime.

He began writing poetry at the age of fifteen and later he dedicated himself to the theater, writing plays like "The Garden Party" (1963) and "Memorandum" (1965). Besides his activities as playwright and poet, Havel has proven his talent as a serious thinker and original essayist in works like "Letters to Olga" (1990), "Responsibility as Destiny" (1991), "The Moral Reconstruction of Society", "The Power of the Powerless", "Summer Meditations" (1991). Other well- known titles include "Audience", "The Conspirators" and "Mountain Hotel".

He has received many honors for his work and activities in defense of human rights, including the Erasmus of Rotterdam Prize (1986), Olof Palme Prize (1989), Simón Bolivar (1990), Charlemagne (1991) and the IV Catalonia International Prize (1995), among many others.