Intervision began as the Eastern bloc alternative to Eurovision, initiated by Czechoslovakia鈥檚 national television broadcaster. Though the initial contest lasted four years, it was abruptly ended by 鈥淣ormalization鈥 in Czechoslovakia. The Intervision concept gets picked up by Poland鈥檚 broadcaster for their Sopot International Festival, where it lasts four more years before being interrupted by political upheaval, yet again. Though the future of Intervision is uncertain, its past is worth a look for the intersection between art and politics.
Warsaw Pact
Charter 77
Charter 77 is a declaration of human rights published by a group of Czech citizens. It declares that 鈥淐harter 77 is not an organization,鈥 rather an idea. Support for Charter 77 mounted as publicly supporting it became more dangerous and life-uprooting. Even still, private and public support for the declaration of peaceful resistance continued, even 40 years into it鈥檚 creation.