Posts

Ronald Waterman is one of the last living Dutch Jews who passed through the Terezín Ghetto during World War II. At the age of 90, he still works, publishes in the field of environmental engineering, and speaks several languages. Ronald Waterman...

Vintage car lovers from around Central Europe are getting ready for the annual “1,000 Miles of Czechoslovakia” race leading from Prague to the Slovak capital Bratislava and back. The festive event is traditionally accompanied by live music and...

One of the most influential figures in Czech film, cinematographer Vladimír Smutný, has died at the age of 82. With a career spanning over five decades, he helped define the visual style of many notable Czech films. Among his most celebrated...

Czechs love a good bargain, whether it’s clothing, electronics, or groceries at an open air market. So much so that many consumers often wait for discounts rather than buying at full price. But this weekend they got more than they bargained for...

No foreigner can have had such an impact on Prague in the modern era as Serge Borenstein. Indeed in three and a half decades, the Belgian-born developer has been behind new constructions totalling a remarkable half a million square metres in...

Activists with the Greenpeace organisation climbed onto the roof of the Tesla customer centre in Čestlice on June 11th, with banners and an image of Donald Trump and Elon Musk setting the world on fire. Among those on the ground in front of the...

At a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 3rd, Radek Špicar was among the honourees awarded the Medal for Merit in Diplomacy. At the moment, how would you evaluate the Czech Republic’s and the EU’s response to the...

For this week’s Sunday Music Show, we’re bringing you a profile of a rising star in the world of composing: Darja Kukal Moiseeva. Born in 1998 in Karlovy Vary, Darja has already achieved success with her victory in the Under 30s category...

Peter Bísek left Czechoslovakia in the 1960s using a clever trick on a travel form. He arrived in Brooklyn with two suitcases, $180, and no plan. In this episode of Czechast, he shares how he turned exile into a mission to connect Czech...

A small badge dating from the fourteenth century has gone on display in the Czech city of Opava. This unassuming object can tell us a great deal about how interconnected the world of a medieval Czech person really was. Pilgrimage badges were...

The Pilsner Urquell brewery is the most visited destination in West Bohemia and one of the top 15 attractions in Czechia. On a typical day, it hosts around 40 guided tours in multiple languages, including Czech, German, and English. Rudolf...

A Czech science student has made a rare discovery on the island of New Guinea. František Vejmělka from the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the University of South Bohemia became the first person in the world to capture the...

At the invitation of the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Her Majesty Queen Máxima paid a state visit to the Czech Republic on June 4 and 5, 2025. Upon arrival at Prague Castle of...

On June 2, 2025, the Romanian Embassy in Prague organized, with the support of the Czech-Romania Parliamentary Friendship Group, whose president is the deputy Martin Hajek, a first in bilateral relations, Romania Day at the Chamber of Deputies...

The Hilton Hotel Prague is celebrating its 30th Anniversary. Ryan Gauci, the hotel GM, and the entire Hilton Prague team hosted a beautiful event called “ Travel Beyond Your Imagination” at the Grand Ballroom. The Hilton Prague has a long...

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová received King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima in the Chamber of Deputies. A royal visit to the lower house of the Czech legislature is a completely unique event...

Wednesday, 4 June 2025, at 6 p.m. local time, the gate of the acclimatization enclosure opened, and the first Převalsky’s horses in central Kazakhstan ran out into freedom. The Převalskys’ horses, imported last June, have adapted well to...

The UN Tourism Executive Council had its 123rd meeting. The Council assessed progress made around the priorities of innovation, investments, and education. At that meeting, the Council nominated Shaika Al Nowais as the new Secretary-General of...

On June 3rd, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský awarded the Medal for Merit in Diplomacy to sixteen people and institutions who have made a significant contribution to Czech diplomacy and foreign relations. Danny Bate was present at the ceremony...

On Tuesday, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife, Máxima, arrive in Prague. One of the highlights of the first-ever state visit of a Dutch monarch to Czechia will be the christening of a unique bell cast in the Netherlands for...

In this episode of Prague off the Beaten Track, listeners are guided through SAPA—Prague’s sprawling Vietnamese market complex in the district of Libuš. It’s a unique space where commerce meets culture, offering everything from street...

This Sunday marks exactly twenty years since the opening of the first baby box in Czechia — a place where mothers can anonymously leave their babies to be cared for and adopted. Today, there are 88 baby boxes across the country, and so far, 277...

The sculptor Václav Lemon has been working on Olomouc’s central square to recreate a famous Baroque depiction of the Holy Trinity, only this time not out of sandstone, but out of sand! Olomouc’s Holy Trinity Column is an icon of the city...

A month before its opening, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival organizers have unveiled the official line-up for this year’s 59th edition. Two Czech films—Broken Voices and Better to Go Mad in the Wilderness—will compete in the...

The monumental bridge, which once elevated the railway above Karlín and the Vltava River, is not only one of the most significant engineering feats of its time but also a symbol of progress and engineering ingenuity. When completed on June 1...

Between 1990 and 2010, about 2.3 million Czechs were born. Often categorized as younger Millennials or older Gen Z, they came of age in a free country—but not an easy world. From the explosion of social media to pandemics and wars nearby...

They are veterans from the 1970’s and because of their characteristic front windows resembling glasses, they were nicknamed “Brejlovec”. They may be old-fashioned, but these diesel engines are not ready to retire. Czech Railways has announced...

Matt Welch was among the first wave of young Westerners who flooded into Prague in the early 1990s. Today a prominent journalist and commentator in his native US, back then he was one of the founders of Prognosis, Czechoslovakia’s first English...

Every year Prague hosts the largest Romani festival in the world. This year’s 27th edition brought not only concerts of Romani music, but also theatrical performances and the Czech premiere of a documentary film about one of the most...

Czech President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala extended congratulatory wishes to Karol Nawrocki on his victory in Poland’s presidential election. Pavel expressed optimism that Poland would uphold democratic principles and maintain its...

Comedian Mark Watson, a household name in the UK, was a star act at this year’s edition of the Prague Fringe. Having previously appeared on British shows like Taskmaster and Would I Lie to You?, his three performances at Malá Strana’s Metro...

To celebrate International Children’s Day, traditionally observed on June 1st, this edition of Sunday Music Show highlights Czech children’s songs across a range of styles—from folk and jazz to rock and playful “baby punk.” While originally...

Czech Radio station Plus hosted the Truth in Motion conference, focusing on the quality of information and the role of the media. Among the speakers was Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. “The European Union alone cannot compel Vladimir...

The Moroccan Diplomacy published a Joint communiqué signed in Rabat by MFA Nasser Bourita and his British counterpart, Mr. David Lammy, regarding the Occidental Sahara.

On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan  H.E. Mr. Yashar ALIYEV, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, hosted a reception at the Hilton Hotel in Prague. Mr. Jan Marian – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs...

On the occasion of the National Day, Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Croatia, and 1100 Years from the first Croatian King Tomislav,  the Ambassador of Croatia, H.E. Mrs. Ljiljana Pancirov, and the Defense Attache Col. Zdravko Barbaric host...

Cobra is the traditional and largest Czech supplier of door hardware, established by Corner Boda 35 years ago. The company is a family-owned business managed by Corner Boda and his daughter, Kristina. We can open any door. And any window. We...

The upcoming weekend at Prague Zoo will belong to one of the rarest mammals in the world and to child visitors. On Saturday, World Bongo Day will be celebrated, when people will get to know these critically endangered antelopes, which Prague...

Award-winning organization Memorial finds asylum in the residence of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies for its human rights, research, and educational activities The human rights and educational organization Memorial, after being banned...

It’s been nearly 60 years since Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia. But as investigative journalist Jaroslav Spurný argues in his new book, “Vrbětice: The Attack that Changed the Czech Republic”, Russia’s security services...

A new mural has just been completed on a building along Milady Horákové Street in Prague’s Holešovice district, near Štrossmayer Square. Created by the masked street artist Toy Box, the large-scale work pays tribute to Milada Horáková, the...

After years of debate and determined civic effort, Czechia has finally adopted postal voting for its citizens living abroad. For many, it’s not just a logistical reform, but a powerful act of recognition. In this episode of Czechast, we speak...

The Museum of Literature in Prague is hosting a powerful new exhibition—centred around a remarkable item on loan from London. At its heart is a rare English edition of Karel Čapek’s Letters from England, signed and dedicated in the autumn of...

Children and teenagers in Czechia are increasingly turning to violence as a way to express themselves, according to the Interior Ministry’s annual report on extremism for 2024. See more here. Author: Vít Pohanka

Depression, loneliness, and suicide rates continue to increase. According to some data, in 2021, suicide was the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 29. As a result, some UN Youth Delegates have called on the UN and other world...

Filtruj! 2025 is a sister event to Prague Coffee Festival, that functions as another opportunity for coffee enthusiasts in Prague, and for those visiting the city, to celebrate the country’s coffee culture. This year’s Filtruj! festival was...

Sixteen EU countries, among them Czechia, have expressed deep concern over Hungary’s recent laws targeting the LGBT+ community. See more here. Author: Vít Pohanka

On May 27th, the ‘Day of Czech’ (Den češtiny) is serving up a multi-genre programme of linguistic events, designed to inform Czech speakers about their language and help them to look at it with new eyes. Aimed in the morning at school groups...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the National Development Day for the second time. The public was invited to the gardens of the Czernin Palace on Friday, where information stands and key players provided information about the...

Tyrš House celebrated 100 years since its reconstruction and reopening as the Prague headquarters of the Czech Sokol community in 1925. To mark the occasion, the organisation christened a colourful mural by artist Michal Škapa. Tyrš House...

Dr. Tomáš Páleníček is a leading Czech proponent of the use of psychedelics in certain kinds of psychiatric treatment. The psychiatrist and several colleagues recently appeared in a documentary named Doctor on a Trip that followed them to the...

Junior world cyclo-cross vice-champion Barbora Bukovská defeated her rivals by a huge margin of 1 minute and 22 seconds in a spectacular race at the Vysočina Arena. Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing that combines cycling and running...

Czech guitarist and composer David Dorůžka and Polish pianist Piotr Wyleżoł – two leading names on the Central European jazz scene – have teamed up for a new album titled When the Child Was a Child. Officially launched this week at...

A major exhibition dedicated to legendary Czech animator and illustrator Jiří Trnka opened this week at Prague’s Villa Pellé. It brings together both familiar and rarely seen works—from film puppets and book illustrations to paintings and...

While Czechia prides itself on the quality of its beer, the experience of drinking the golden liquid is just as important as the product itself. Prague has no shortage of good pubs to visit, but as the summer sun shines, it’s more tempting to...

We bring you another part of our series focusing on World War II war veterans, a story of a Belgian POW who found himself in Czechoslovakia in May 1945. In Prague, the uprising has been raging for several days. See more here.

The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Czech Republic organized a seminar "Welcome to Kazakhstan" at the Vienna House by Wyndham Diplomat Prague.

Mark Watson, Pip Utton, Festival Indie and more – May 26-31, 2025 | Various venues in Lesser Town Prague’s English-language theatre and comedy festival returns for its 24th year this May, and everything is shaping up to be an exceptional...

Prague Zoo announced the details of the June transport of Przewalski’s horses to the Golden Steppe in central Kazakhstan at a press conference. This time too, it will be an extremely demanding operation. “This year’s transport...

Czech President Petr Pavel congratulated Nicușor Dan on his election as Romania’s new president. See more here.

In a bid to attract new recruits, the Czech Army transformed Prague’s riverfront into a live demonstration of military prowess. The event featured soldiers rappelling from helicopters, armored vehicles on display, and interactive exhibits...

It is the duty of today’s generation to compare Nazi lies and euphemisms with those of the present, Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned against propaganda during the memorial ceremony in Terezín. See more here. Author: Jakub Ferenčík

From Czech meadows and forests to tropical jungles, dry African steppes, and the mountainous slopes of Asia, Czechia is home to a wide array of botanical gardens. These gardens offer visitors the chance to admire plant species from around the...

A unique research project is currently underway at Palacký University in Olomouc. Chemists are studying residues—possibly the remnants of ancient medicines—on medieval medical manuscripts and printed books. The project carried out in...

After seven years of research, scientists have confirmed the origin of human remains found in a mysterious chest in a church in Olomouc – they belonged to the city’s ancient Přemyslid rulers. In the history of Bohemia and Moravia, ‘Přemyslid’...

In January 1942, the Kohn family boarded a transport at the Pilsen railway station and never returned. Other tenants moved into their apartment and their belongings were gradually lost. Everything disappeared, except for the diary that twelve...

We all come into daily contact with a certain amount of industrially produced chemicals that are known to be harmful to our health. But some professions are more at risk than others. Researchers at Brno’s Masaryk University are conducting a...

Jiří Pehe is one of Czechia’s best-known political scientists, regularly sharing his insights with domestic and international media. But his own story is also noteworthy. After a dramatic 1981 escape to the West, he made a new life in the US...

The number of young people in Czechia who smoke classic cigarettes, drink alcohol or use cannabis substances continues to decline, according to the results of the Czech part of the 8th European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs...

Former Slovak president, Andrej Kiska, gave an interview to Radio Prague International during his visit to the Czech capital, in which he expressed concern about his country’s future under Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s...

Eva Haňková is a Czechoslovak-born centenarian who lives in the United States. She is one of the few surviving people who met Czechoslovakia’s co-founder and first president T.G. Masaryk. The few seconds with the president made her an overnight...

New research carried out by Czech scientists has revealed that Říp, the country’s most iconic hill, was once a lava lake. The solitary peak formed over 26 million years ago during a powerful volcanic eruption, which sent molten lava into a deep...

Plans are going ahead for the construction of Via Silva Nortica – a cycling path that will connect the Highlands, South Bohemia and Lower Austria. After almost two years of effort, all the land where the path will run has been secured and...

Visitors can see bears in castle moats across parts of Czechia in Český Krumlov, Točník, and, until recently, Konopiště and Náchod. But the 400-year tradition is increasingly under fire. Critics point to inadequate conditions, while supporters...

Once a year since 1966, thousands of Czechs have put on their walking shoes and set off through the Bohemian countryside to the small town of Prčice. Among the 24,500 walkers this year was RPI’s Danny Bate. The annual Prague–Prčice March...

The skies overhead may be dark and cloudy, but the Czech land below is currently showing worrying signs of drought. What are the causes? And what do meteorologists forecast for the summer months? Danny Bate spoke to bio-climatologist Miroslav...

Eighty years after the end of World War II, Czech and Slovak communities in London continue to reflect on its legacy. Jana Nahodilová from OKÉNKO and the British Czech and Slovak Association speaks about upcoming events, including a discussion...

The most well-known Czech saints are likely Saint Ludmila and Saint Agnes, followed by Saint Wenceslas, Saint Jan of Nepomuk, and Saints Cyril and Methodius. Saint Jan Sarkander and Saint Zdislava were canonized on May 21, 1995, by Pope John...

For this week’s Sunday Music Show, we’re celebrating the pinnacle of the classical-music calendar in Czechia: the Prague Spring International Music Festival. This year, the festival is marking its eightieth edition, which began on May...

In this new episode of Czechast, host Vít Pohanka meets Jean Svoboda and her partner Richard in person for the first time. Jean, an Australian with Czech and Latvian roots, is back in Czechia to continue piecing together her family history...

With the success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, there has been a substantial increase in tourists visiting the Czech city of Kutná Hora, located just one hour outside of Prague by train. But which locations stand out? Members of our team...

The countries of the Nordic and Baltic regions – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden – hold their yearly joint National Days celebration together, and invited Ukraine to join them. Prague is the only place...

On the occasion of the 77th Anniversary of the Independence of the State of Israel and the 35th year of renewal of the diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and the State of Israel. H.E. Ms. Anna AZARI, Ambassador of the State of...

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Prague Castle, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary: HE Mr. Martin Muránsky, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary...

Among the many warm tributes to Jiří Bartoška, who passed away last week at 78, has been one published by Variety from journalist Steven Gaydos. The Czech actor took the reins at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 1994 and that was...

Czechia is mourning star of stage and screen Jiří Bartoška, who passed away on May 8th at 78 years of age. Among his many achievements, the charismatic actor is most fondly remembered for reinvigorating the Karlovy Vary International Film...

The Prague Spring International Music Festival, one of the highlights of the Czech cultural calendar, kicked off its eightieth edition on May 12th. As per tradition, the opening concert was a performance of Bedřich Smetana’s My Country...

In a new episode, Czechast speaks to Jan Trčka, a Czech citizen who left his civilian life behind to fight in Ukraine. In a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Trčka explains his motivations, battlefield experiences, and the moral...

The Foreign Ministry expects tens of thousands of voters abroad to participate in the autumn elections to the Chamber of Deputies. More than 600,000 Czechs are long-term residents abroad. For the first, time this year, they can vote by...

Brno scientists are developing a system for monitoring pilot fatigue or any kind of health problem. Based on a camera with artificial intelligence, the device monitors the pilot’s condition and, if necessary, responds with an alert or a...

Eurovision season is upon us, and Czechia is this year represented by Slovakia-born singer Adonxs (Adam Pavlovčin). Performing Kiss Kiss Goodbye, the singer will first appear before an international audience in the second semi-final on May 15th...

A team of Czech speleologists have successfully completed the longest possible cave traverse in the country—a route no one had managed until now. Over nearly two days, the trio navigated a challenging, seven-kilometre journey through the...

A Museum of Survivors has opened near Brno, in the former factory of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during World War II. Its official opening, held on May 10th, was planned to coincide...

The 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship is in full swing and, after a good start for the Czechs, hockey fans at home are glued to their sets hoping for another medal. See more here.

Long before GPS apps were common and smartphones ubiquitous, Pavel Novák was printing maps and decoding clues with his wife and two young children on the streets of Brussels. It was 2008, and what started as a simple weekend activity soon...

Music played a crucial role in boosting the morale of both troops and civilians during World War Two. Songs from both sides of the Atlantic got people on the dance floor and rallied spirits through many dark days and nights of the war. Here are...

On May 13th 1935, twins Karel and Jan Saudek were born in Prague. Their life story is like something out of a dramatic film – from their early childhood during the Nazi occupation to their unique artistic careers that made them legends of Czech...

The geopark in Český ráj (Bohemian Paradise) is in danger of losing its UNESCO status. According to auditors, it cooperates with institutions that sell precious stones of unclear origin such as “blood minerals” mined under highly problematic...

Felix Kafka was born in Prague almost exactly a century ago and escaped the Holocaust after being placed on one of the “kindertransports” to the UK organised by Nicholas Winton. He talked to Radio Prague International’s Alex...

What do Czechs and Czech historians think about Czech treatment of the Jewish community in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and Czechoslovakia in the 20th century? Jakub Ferenčík spoke to historian Ivan Puš to understand the shifting...