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Poland's Gdansk renames street after Vaclav Havel

Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:57 AM EST
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Associated Press

Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz unveils a street renamed in honor of Vaclav Havel, the former Czech president and playwright, in Gdansk, Poland, on Friday Dec 23, 2011. Officials say they believe it's the first street worldwide to be named for Havel, who died Sunday at the age of 75 and is being laid to rest in his homeland Friday. Adamowicz said his city, a symbol of democratic transformation in Europe, wanted to honor a man who stands as a leading anti-communist icon alongside PolandÂ’s Lech Walesa, who lives in Gdansk. (AP Photo/ Maciej Kosycarz ) Poland Out

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WARSAW — Gdansk — the birthplace of Poland's Solidarity movement — has renamed a street after Vaclav Havel to honor the Czech anti-communist icon deeply revered by Poles.

Officials in the city, the home of Poland's own anti-communist icon Lech Walesa, inaugurated Vaclav Havel Avenue on Friday, the same day the Czech playwright and president was being laid to rest in his homeland.

Officials say they believe it's the first street worldwide to be named for Havel, who died Sunday at the age of 75.

The news agency PAP says city council members voted unanimously Thursday to rename the street 2 kilometers (3 miles) south of the city center in Havel's honor.

Mayor Pawel Adamowicz said his city, a symbol of democratic transformation in Europe, wanted to honor "the Czech Walesa."

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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