Flower boat for late Havel to sail through Czech Republic

Prague - A boat with flowers and wreaths for former Czech president Vaclav Havel who died shortly before Christmas will start sailing along the Vltava and Labe rivers from Prague at 10:00 on Saturday, Sabina Tancevova, secretary of Havel´s office, said today.

The boat is to end its voyage in Decin, north Bohemia, on Monday, January 2.

Havel´s family and office staff were impressed by how many flowers people brought to the coffin with Havel´s body that was displayed last week, Tancevova said.

She said the flower boat was an idea of musician Michael Kocab and artist David Cerny.

The organisers of the flower boat agreed that they do not want to just throw away the flowers.

The flower boat will probably be sailing for three days. In Prague, it would be accompanied by steamers. People can watch the quiet voyage from the river banks.

On the first day, the boat is to arrive in Melnik, central Bohemia, where the Vltava River flows into Labe (Elbe). On the second day, it is to sail to Usti nad Labem, north Bohemia. The sailing is to end in Decin, near the border with Germany, on the third day.

The organisers invite the public to come and see the boat and remember Havel on the occasion.

Havel died on December 18 at the age of 75, after long-term respiratory troubles.

His coffin was displayed in the Prague Crossroads centre, built by the Vision 97 foundation of the late Havel and his wife Dagmar, for two days and at Prague Castle, which is the presidential seat, for another two days. Thousands of people accompanied the coffin on its way from the Prague Crossroads to Prague Castle on December 21.

A number of world´s current and former top politicians attended Havel´s state funeral at St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle on December 23. A private ceremony for Havel´s family and friends followed in a Prague crematorium.

Author: CTK
www.ctk.cz

Capturetr
yakamoz01 friend