Ladies and gentlemen, dear students and colleagues,
Each year on 17 November, we commemorate the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy, as well as International Students’ Day. Students have played a pivotal role in our modern history. In 1939, Jan Opletal and his fellow students demonstrated against Nazism, ten of them paid for their courage and bravery with their lives, yet their legacy endures. Fifty years later, student demonstrations ignited the Velvet Revolution, which led to the fall of socialism. The freedom of expression that our students helped to secure must be preserved, and students must always have the opportunity to freely reflect the state of life in our country.
The UPJŠ Faculty of Medicine is a place where freedom and responsibility meet every day. The freedom to learn, to explore, and to grow professionally is closely connected with the obligation to act with respect, integrity, and a commitment to serving society. These are the values that define today’s and tomorrow’s physicians, scientists, and healthcare professionals.
17 November is therefore an opportunity to reflect on the importance of protecting academic freedom, supporting critical thinking, and creating an environment in which every student can fully develop their potential. It is also a reminder that freedom requires constant care – in our daily behaviour, in our decisions, and in how we listen to and respect one another.
I would like to thank everyone who, through their work at the faculty, helps build a culture of mutual respect and openness. And to our students, I extend my gratitude for the energy, curiosity, and responsibility you bring to academic life. You are the bearers of a tradition that carries profound meaning.
Let us wish that the values of 17 November remain alive and continue to shape each day – not only in our words, but above all in our actions.
prof. MUDr. Peter Jarčuška, PhD.
Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice
