The Velvet Revolution was a peaceful protest movement in Czechoslovakia that took place in late 1989. It aimed to end 41 years of communist rule and restore democracy. The movement began on November 17, 1989, with a student demonstration in Prague, which was met with police violence, sparking widespread public outrage. Over the following weeks, millions of people joined peaceful protests, leading to negotiations with the government. By December 29, 1989, Václav Havel, a prominent dissident and playwright, was elected as the country's first post-communist president, marking a significant shift towards democracy in Czechoslovakia.