UCLA History: Havel

VáclavHavel, the former dissident playwright and president ofCzechoslovakia who died yesterday, visited UCLA on October 25, 1991 when theCzech and Slovak parts of Czechoslovakia were still somewhat united.  He received the UCLA Medal.  Oddly, the LA Times made little reference tothe event – at least so it appears after a significant web search.  Apparently, Havel was originally supposed tocome on April 18, 1991, according to an LA Times story the previous February:

See http://articles.latimes.com/1991-02-07/news/we-1183_1_czech-leader

However, it seems that the April date was postponed.  I found no reference to the actual visit inthe LA Times, except for an after-the-fact op ed.  After Havel came in October, an Ayn Randfollower complained in an LA Times op ed that Havel’s Tanner lecture at UCLA wasnot in keeping with Rand’s view of the world. Excerpt:

At UCLA on Oct. 25, CzechoslovakianPresident Vaclav Havel delivered the Tanner Lecture on Human Values. Itwas not a humane message.  Rather thanextol economic freedom, productivity and private property, as he did elsewhereon his U.S. visit, Havel advocated a philosophy geared to destroy those veryvalues: environmentalism…

Full op ed at http://articles.latimes.com/1991-11-03/opinion/op-1321_1_vaclav-havel-s-speech-czechoslovakian-president-vaclav-havel-productivity

Havel is listed as receiving UCLA Medal on Oct. 25, 1991 byUCLA at:

http://www.specialevents.ucla.edu/UCLA_Medal/Documents/RECIPIENalpha.pdf

Havel is not listed among those who ever delivered a Tannerlecture:

http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/atoz.html

However, there may be an omission at that site of lecturesthat were not officially transcribed.  Sowhat Havel actually said at UCLA remains a mystery.  If someone has more info, I will update.  I can tell you from personal eye-witnessobservation that the ceremony took place in Royce Hall.  I did find the picture above from Google images of Havel getting ready at UCLA for the event.