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Former Czech president and dissident leader Václav Havel received the 2010 Franz Kafka literary prize on Tuesday. He becomes the 10th recipient of the international award. The judges’ panel announced their decision to award Havel for his lifelong literary and dramatic work in June. They said that his essays and plays had had a Czech, European, and worldwide impact.

Former president Václav Havel also commented on the elections, saying that he believes the result will “air out” the Prague City Hall. Mr Havel added that he sees the TOP 09 party in a positive light for the time being, and hopes that they can do better than the previous administration, which he called one of the worst the city had ever seen. Regarding the overall the former president was pleased by the success of independent candidates, which he has generally supported in the past. That result, he said was confirmation of his belief that individual figures and confidence in them are more decisive than political parties.

Former Czech president Václav Havel has warned that if mankind does not change its approach, civilisation faces disaster. Mr Havel made the comments on the eve of a conference of his Forum 2000 foundation in Prague. He said that to avoid catastrophe, humanity needed to fight its short-sightedness, bovine belief in its omniscience and swollen pride. Speakers at the 14th Forum 2000 conference, which began on Monday morning, include Iranian human rights campaigner Shirin Ebadi, Cuban dissident Jose Luis Garcia Paneque and British writer Misha Glenny.

“The world we want to live in” is the theme of this year’s Forum 2000 international conference, which has just got underway in the Czech capital. The annual event, held under the auspices of former Czech president Václav Havel, brings together public figures from around the world to consider some of the most poignant issues of our times. This year, the conference discusses the ways we influence the environment, and out responsibility for the state of the world.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel on Friday welcomed the award of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, whom he praised as an "active citizen." Mr. Havel championed him for the award in recognition of his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. When last December, Liu was sentenced to 11 years behind bars for “subversion”, Vaclav Havel a former dissident playwright who also spent years in communist prisons, staged a protest outside the Chinese embassy in Prague.

Former Czech president Václav Havel says that Palestinians have the right to a free state and that the legitimacy of Israel is as unquestionable as with any other UN member state. Mr Havel weighed in on the issue in response to an open letter signed by various politicians and activists, who asked that he support a boycott on Israel until it begins to adhere to international law. The letter was signed by former Czech foreign minister Jan Kavan and the chairman of the Communist Party, Vojtěch Filip. Mr Havel wrote that the recent renewal of peace talks between Israel and Palestine offered hope and that both parties to the conflict deserved encouragement rather than a boycott.

Former president Václav Havel has called for the Nobel peace prize to be awarded to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. In a letter to the New York Times, co-signed by former Czechoslovak dissidents Dana Nemcová and Václav Malý, Havel drew parallels between the challenge to Czechoslovak Communism presented by Charter 77 and the Charter 08 spearheaded by Liu and signed by 300 Chinese human rights activists. Liu was sentenced to 10 years in prison after the action. Mr. Havel said that Liu should be recognized for his 20 years struggle for peaceful reform.

This year’s Forum 2000 debate will be attended by Cuban dissident José Luis García Paneque and Iranian lawyer and 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, the organisers have announced. Opposition activist García Paneque was released from prison this summer after seven years in prison, 17 months of which he spent in solitary confinement. He accepted an offer of asylum in Spain in July. Ms Ebadi will be visiting the forum for the second time; she first came to the Czech capital in 1997. The conference, now in its 14th year under the auspices of ex-president Václav Havel, will take place between October 10 and 12 under the slogan "The World We Want to Live In".

In his basement studio in the Šelmberkovský Palace in Prague’s Malá Strana, Oldřich Škácha is visibly amused as he points out a shot he took in 1991. It features then finance minister Václav Klaus, grinning broadly, flanked by two bunny girls at a Playboy ball. Škácha says he likes to exhibit the picture today as a little jab at the president.

The former president Václav Havel has had many professions in his life – poet, playwright, dissident, revolutionary, president, and published author. Now, at the tender age of 73, he’s adding a new string to his bow – film director. He’s currently directing a feature film version of his most recent play, Leaving, which is about – what else? - a politician trying to adjust to a new life after leaving politics.