The 15th edition of the Freedom Festival, organised by the Nation’s Memory Institute (Ústav pamäti národa), was officially opened in Bratislava. The ENRS is proud to be a co-organiser of this event, which explores the meaning of freedom, democracy, and memory in today’s Europe.
The opening ceremony of this year’s Festival Slobody gathered representatives of institutions, historians, journalists, and citizens committed to preserving the memory of those who resisted totalitarian regimes. In his speech, Jerguš Sivoš, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nation’s Memory Institute, reflected on the importance of communicating the experience of non-democratic regimes to younger generations. On behalf of the ENRS Iga Raczyńska addressed the audience, highlighting the shared European responsibility to protect freedom and democracy and to connect national experiences through dialogue and empathy.
During the ceremony, the Nation’s Memory Institute Awards were presented to three remarkable individuals: Dobroslav Pustaj (in memoriam), Leontín Dohovič, and Miroslav Lehký. Each of them represents a different form of courage – from clandestine resistance to totalitarian rule, through years of imprisonment, to a lifelong dedication to human rights and historical truth.
In her closing remarks, Adela Martinkovičová, Chancellery Director of the Nation’s Memory Institute, invited the audience to “celebrate freedom together” — not as an abstract value, but as a living practice of dialogue, culture, and civic engagement.
The Festival Slobody continues throughout the week with a rich programme of exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, and discussions that encourage reflection on the legacy of totalitarian regimes and the meaning of freedom today.
The Freedom Festival is organised by Nation's Memory Institute and co-organised by the ENRS.
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