The central theme of this year’s event connects the work and legacy of two extraordinary figures in Czech culture—Václav Havel, who would have turned 90 this year, and Arnošt Lustig, who would have turned 100. Although their life paths were very different, they shared the same values: a belief in human dignity, responsibility for one’s own actions, and the power of words. 

Václav Havel demonstrated that literature and thought can be instruments of freedom and change. Arnošt Lustig transformed his personal experience of the Holocaust into a powerful literary testimony to humanity even in extreme situations. Through their work and life stories, both demonstrate that books are not merely a source of knowledge or pleasure, but also a place where the courage to understand the world and oneself is born.

Books in Brno 2026 will offer a space for gathering, reading, debate, and discovery—for everyone who believes that good books have the power to ask questions, inspire, and bring people together. We will gradually publish the festival program. Follow us and be there when Brno once again becomes a city of books.

https://www.knihyvbrne.cz