Cultural Torch Relay Protest to Express Disagreement with Management of Culture

Bratislava, November 5 (TASR) - The Open Culture Platform is planning to launch an event called Slovak Cultural Torch on November 17, members of the platform and the Cultural Strike initiative reported at a press briefing on Tuesday, adding that through a relay protest, together with the participants of this event, they want to express their disagreement with the current happenings at the Culture Ministry under the leadership of incumbent Minister Martina Simkovicova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee). "The relay protest aims to draw attention to and fight against the destruction of cultural identity in Slovakia," said Veronika Nemcova, a member of the platform and the Cultural Strike committee. "In every town, people will hold a relay of light for culture, and along with this relay will travel a book in which people can write a message and a wish for culture in the New Year," she said, explaining the method of the protest. Nemcova added that not only will the beginning of the event be symbolic - on the Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy, but also the starting point of the relay protest will be symbolic - in the town of Humenne (Presov region), the Slovak Town of Culture 2024. The Slovak cultural torch is to pass from eastern Slovakia to Bratislava, where a protest rally will be held in December, on a yet unspecified date, along with an hour-long strike of people working in culture. am