PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Former Czech President Vaclav Havel has opened the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Velvet Revolution featuring a political debate, live music and international celebrities.
Underground rocker Lou Reed, soprano Renee Fleming and folk singer Joan Baez were among those at Saturday's nationally televised concert.
Video messages from President Barack Obama, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were broadcast along with greetings from rock stars Mick Jagger and Bono.
The 73-year-old Havel co-authored of the Charter 77 human rights manifesto and spent several years in prisons before becoming Czechoslovakia's president after the peaceful 1989 revolution toppled the Communist regime.
