<p>Thousands of people are requesting the preservation of open space at Prague's Stalin.</p>

Prague - An online petition to preserve the space at the former Stalin monument in Letná for skateboarding and cultural events has been signed by over 7900 people since Monday. The initiative that created it rejects the idea of establishing any permanent institution at the site. In this context, there have been discussions about creating a Museum of 20th Century Memory. Last week, the building authority ordered the closure of the site due to the emergency condition of the monument's roof. The capital city, as the owner, is expected to submit a proposal by the end of the year on how to manage the monument in the future.

The petition committee, which includes DJ and producer Jakub Strach aka NobodyListen and skateboarder Petr Humpl among others, would consider it unfortunate if the upcoming necessary structural safety measures were misused to completely redevelop the location. "In the past, there have been many developer attempts to close this location and plan the construction of large projects within one of Prague's largest parks. This space has found its function on the cultural and sports scene despite its totalitarian origin. The location of Prague's Stalin is globally known as a place with one of the most beautiful views of Prague, a place for entertainment and relaxation, and as a legendary spot for skateboarding," stated the initiative in the petition, which over 7900 people joined online, with more than 3500 signing the English version. According to Strach, 1500 people signed the paper petition on Sunday, when a meeting was held in Letná for this purpose.

Prague councilor Alexandra Udženija (ODS) supports the transformation of the former monument's pedestal into a museum. Prague 7 Mayor Jan Čižinský (Praha Sobě) is not inclined towards the idea, arguing that Letná Park is not suitable for the activities that would arise with the creation of a museum. Prague councilor Jan Chabr (TOP 09) had previously stated that the repair of the monument could take up to eight years.

The Stalin monument was erected in 1955. At the time, it was the largest group statue in Europe, standing over 15 meters high, 12 meters wide, and 22 meters long. The monument was dismantled at the end of 1962 as criticism of Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev's stance towards Stalin increased.