Sviečková manifestácia (2008)

The Candle demonstration in Bratislava on March 25, 1988, is remembered as a pivotal moment of resistance against the communist government in Czechoslovakia. It foreshadowed the Velvet Revolution of November 17, 1989, which ultimately ended four decades of totalitarian rule and brought democracy. Organized by members of persecuted Catholic communities, the demonstration called for religious freedom, human rights, and the appointment of Catholic bishops in Slovakia. This initially religious event evolved into a broader expression of civic activism.