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Marking four years since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Czech FM Petr Macinka delivered two forceful speeches at UN headquarters in New York. Addressing the General Assembly and later the Security Council, he placed responsibility for...

Speaking at Prague Castle on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Petr Pavel thanked long-term supporters of the war-torn country and praised the many people in Czechia who help those in need. See more here. Author:...

It was a successful weekend for Czech cinema. At the international showcase Berlinale, the jury selected the Czech-Slovak film Kdyby se holubi proměnili ve zlato (If Pigeons Turned to Gold) as Best Documentary. Meanwhile, the British Academy of...

More than four years have passed since the tragic accident in Liberec when the cable car to Ještěd Mountain collapsed. Since then, the line has been out of operation. The town of Liberec has now introduced its new design. Ještěd is the highest...

Fifteen years ago, the Faculty of Architecture at the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague gained its own modern building. The winning design emerged from one of the largest architectural competitions in the country, and sparked a lively...

The 20th edition of Pragueshorts Film Festival gets underway in the Czech capital on Wednesday. Until March 1, cinemas including Světozor, Bio Oko, Ponrepo and Kino Pilotů will screen more than a hundred short films from around the world...

Growing as a scientist in constant motion between countries and disciplines, Kateřina Jeřábková-Roda follows a research path shaped by international experience and driven by questions with clear clinical relevance. At its core is cancer...

The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo ended on Sunday, with Czech athletes winning five medals in total: two gold, two silver and one bronze. It is the country’s third best result in Winter Olympic history, after the 2014 Sochi...

In this episode of Czechast, Vít Pohanka returns to where it all began — Žďár nad Sázavou. As he walks through the town, he reflects on its transformation, its character, and the stories embedded in its streets. This is not just a travel...

A new documentary about the Czech composer and conductor Vítězslava Kaprálová has just arrived in cinemas. Kaprálová was an extraordinary presence in Czech music between the wars. At a time when very few women were able to build careers as...

The traditional fun ski event in Smržovka in the Jizera Mountains attracted many participants and a crowd of onlookers at the weekend. Competitors took part in three disciplines — a classic sprint, a downhill glide to the finish, and a “hop...

Putting together a list of the year’s top albums has always been a tricky task, as taste differs from person to person. Nevertheless, when you are in daily contact with music at work and spend your free time attending concerts, one might assume...

Even the most famous and largest landmark in the Czech capital Prague Castle — visited by a record 2.7 million people in 2025 — may conceal magical corners unknown to many. One such place is Masaryk’s Lookout, crowned by a majestic 200-year-old...

This year’s Muriel Award for best comic book has gone to Oskar Ed: My Best Friend, a striking graphic novel by Slovak-born, Prague-based artist Branko Jelinek. The book didn’t just win the main prize — it collected four awards in total...

Jitka Exler has enjoyed great success in the US, designing and making puppet characters for TV hits The Muppet Show and Sesame Street and working for major toy manufacturers. Exler had been forced to leave her native Czechoslovakia after...

A unique private collection of post-1989 Czech contemporary art is now on show in Prague’s Magnus Art Gallery. Titled Endless Curiosity, the exhibition features a selection of works gathered over more than three decades by a Dutch couple...

On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Serbia, the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Berislav VEKIĆ, and Mrs. Sandra VEKIĆ, hosted a reception at the Beautiful Kaiserstejnsky Palace. The event, attended by many...

On Thursday, February 19, 2026, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary at Prague Castle: H.E. Mr. Alessandro Gaudiano, new Ambassador Extraordinary and...

By Jude Atemanke, Photo Credit: Nigeria Catholic Network Port-au-Prince, 11 February, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV has transferred Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, who has been serving as Apostolic Nuncio in the Czech Republic, to Haiti. The Port...

Zuzana Marešová, one of the 669 mostly Jewish children sent from Prague to London at the outbreak of the Second World War in the rescue operation organised by Nicholas Winton and his colleagues, has died at the age of 94. Zuzana Marešová, née...

The New Stage of the National Theatre, listed as a cultural monument since 2021, is set to undergo a two-year renovation, its first major overhaul in more than four decades. The project, estimated at around CZK 2.3 billion, will modernize the...

An aging population is one of the most pressing challenges facing modern society. In the second installment of Radio Prague International’s new edition of Science without Borders, this time brought to you from France, Petr Dobiáš explains how...

The Roztoky carnival procession is traditionally led by a queen who sets the fashion in terms of colours and shapes. This year red, white and black prevailed. See more here.

In Czechia, where beer is a cultural staple, non-alcoholic beer is fast gaining popularity, especially during Dry February and among young people. Radio Prague International spoke to an expert about modern brewing techniques that help make non...

Do you trust your gut? Have you ever listened to it — quite literally? ALL THINGS DIGESTING, a new exhibition at Prague’s Kunsthalle, invites visitors into a thought-provoking playground for the senses, where the artist duo sikau/pubalova...

The halt of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline due to extensive Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure has caused serious problems for Hungary and Slovakia, which are still dependent on Russian oil. Amid rising tensions, Prague has...

The government on Monday extended the validity of a regulation allowing Ukrainian refugees to apply for special long-term residence status. Thousands of people are expected to apply. According to Interior Ministry statistics, more than 393,000...

The Visegrád Group was founded on February 15, 1991 as a joint path for three post-communist countries back to Europe. Thirty-five years later, however, it is clear that the original unity has faded and the individual states now pursue...

Few people can boast such a prolific and diverse musical career as Czech composer, guitarist, singer, producer, and lyricist Michal Pavlíček, who celebrates his 70th birthday on Saturday, February 14. Over several decades, he has shaped the...

To mark World Radio Day, Radio Prague International spoke with Iryna Slavinska, Director of Radio Culture – the third channel of Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne. What role does radio play in war-torn Ukraine? And what can a station...

As a presenter on Canal+ Sport Karel Häring is one of the faces of the English Premier League for many Czech football fans. How has he managed the switch after decades as a print journalist? And what is it like working, and travelling, with...

The distinctive Roma music genre halgató, known for its slow, mournful songs, could soon be added to Czechia‘s list of intangible cultural heritage. Both musicians and academics are seeking official recognition for the genre, which they...

On the occasion of the Japanese Emperor’s 66th birthday and the National Day of Japan, the Ambassador of Japan to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Kansuke NAGAOKA, held a reception at the Marriott Hotel Prague. A very dramatic Japanese drums open...

To celebrate the 2026Chinese New Year of the horse H.E Mr. Feng Biao, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Czech Republic, and Mrs. Cai Jingli organized a “Happy Chinese New Year Performance” by Fujian Art Troupe at Divadlo...

The Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Gansukh Damdin, and his spouse, hosted a farewell reception at the beautiful Villa Lanna. Here are selected sections of H.E. Mr. Gansukh Damdin and Mr. Jiří Brodský, deputy minister of...

A North Nubian giraffe named Johanka is now undergoing veterinary training. She is the first giraffe at Prague Zoo that the keepers train daily. They use the so-called target, treats in the form of giraffe biscuits, and the youthful nature of...

The ceremonial outfits prepared for Czech athletes for the Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina, featuring shorts and brightly coloured sweaters, faced criticism at home ahead of the Games. But at the opening ceremony last Friday, they drew...

The Czech Republic has sent a record number of athletes to the Winter Olympics in Milan and the country has a good track record of participation in winter Olympic sports. To find the very first Czech medal from the Winter Games, we would have...

Why did ice hockey take such deep roots in Czechia – a country far from Scandinavia and Canada? In a special episode of Czechast, Vít Pohanka looks at the history, culture and lasting appeal of Czech ice hockey, from frozen ponds to Olympic...

One of the three most prestigious film festivals in the world, the Berlinale, opens this Thursday in Berlin. Among the Czech films presented this year is Věra Chytilová’s 1979 satirical film PanelStory, or How a Housing Development Is Born. The...

TV journalist Darja Stomatová has been reporting from Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Last week Stomatová received the Ferdinand Peroutka Prize, perhaps the most prestigious honour in Czech journalism, for her coverage...

With a willingness to tackle international challenges and some of the world’s most difficult molecules, Štěpánka Nedvědová’s profile sheds light on the slow, often invisible work behind scientific progress, where persistence matters as much as...

Czechia has scored 59 points in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index, equalling its best result to date but still lagging behind the EU average. According to Transparency International analyst Marek Chromý, the country has made clear...

Have you heard of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church? What inspires someone to become a priest? Why are pastors prone to burnout? And can a priest dance on live television? Radio Prague International spoke with Martina Viktorie Voborníková...

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) has announced that his government is seriously considering banning social media for children under the age of 15, following the example of France. While flash polls suggest that most parents would approve, many...

One hundred years ago, on February 8, 1926, the Liberated Theatre (Osvobozené divadlo) was founded in Prague – an avant-garde scene that profoundly influenced Czech culture and laid the foundations of modern political satire. It was here that...

The video of a man stealing a swan on the Vltava River in the centre of Prague made news headlines this week. The incident was captured on video by a passerby, who later handed the footage over to the police. Animal welfare groups have also...

Russia, security, and uncertainty have returned to the centre of European politics. But security, says analyst Filip Scherf, is not only about threats — it is also about self-confidence, responsibility, and partnerships. In this episode of...

This Friday, the 25th Winter Olympic Games officially get underway in Italy. Few people know, however, that Czechs played an important role in the very first Winter Olympics more than a century ago. The Krkonoše Museum in Jilemnice is now...

The Committee of Good Will – the Olga Havel Foundation will once again present the Olga Havel Award in May. The prestigious award is intended for individuals who, despite their health disabilities, actively help others and contribute to...

European bison from Prague Zoo and Olomouc Zoo have arrived in Azerbaijan. They will strengthen the reintroduced population in the Shahdag National Park. The original four females have now become five, while waiting for the transport, which was...

A new series of meetings “Women who move business” with the subtitle “Business on the move: New challenges and solutions” started at the premises of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The project was created in cooperation with the Chamber of...

TEDxUNYP returns to Prague on Saturday, March 7th, bringing international speakers to the Prague Congress Centre for a one day event focused on how we connect in a changing world. The 2026 edition introduces the theme “Currents of Connection”...

In a special episode of Czechast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks openly about the war with Russia, peace talks, and the role Czechia plays in supporting Ukraine. In an exclusive interview for Czech Radio, conducted by Josef...

Stanislav Přibyl, the current bishop of Litoměřice, has been appointed the new Archbishop of Prague. The 54-year-old bishop, who chose the episcopal motto Pax vobis –has said he wants to bring people together in an increasingly troubled world...

After two decades in Czech public media and years spent in Brussels, Filip Nerad, now working at Globsec Policy Institute, offers a long-term view of Czechia’s position inside the EU and NATO. In an interview for Czechast, he discusses the...

After nearly two and a half centuries, hard coal mining in the Czech Republic has come to an end. The final mining shift surfaced from the ČSM mine in the Ostrava–Karviná coal basin late on Sunday night. A symbolic last cart of coal will be...

Czech interest in this year’s Academy Awards will centre on Mr. Nobody Against Putin, a Danish-Czech production nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category. The film contains footage shot surreptitiously by a teacher, Pavel “Pasha”...

The annual Ride of the Kings has a new king: ten-year-old Marek Dacík. Continuing a remarkable family legacy, Marek is the 100th historically documented king in the town of Vlčnov. The annual Ride of the Kings is one of the most celebrated folk...

The Nesyt salt marsh, covering almost seven hectares, lies on the edge of the Pálava Protected Landscape Area, established 50 years ago. It is home to many attractive bird species such as blue tits and Bohemian waxwings. See more here.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of people gathered on Prague’s main squares to support President Petr Pavel amid his dispute with Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists’ Party) over his refusal to appoint Filip Turek environment minister. The...

Seventy years ago, a technical operation took place in Prague that had no precedent in Czechoslovakia at the time. The small Baroque Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene beneath Letná Hill was meant to be demolished to make way for an enormous Stalin...

Less than a year after the establishment of the regional Pilsen Radio station, a 32-member orchestra was founded in February 1946. It was named the Pilsen Radio Orchestra. The ensemble is one of the predecessors of today’s Pilsen Philharmonic...

Around one fifth of Czech children and adolescents aged nine to fifteen spend more than five hours online every single day. This is according to a new survey conducted by the Czech Statistics Office (ČSÚ). The survey, which included nearly...

The Prague Castle Guard is looking to take on new recruits and has relaxed its long-standing selection criteria. For many years, only candidates between 178 and 188 centimeters tall were eligible to serve. The new height range is more tolerant...

The Good Will Committee – Olga Havel Foundation has launched a public collection Light and Heat for Kiev, which responds to the dramatic deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine during this winter. The goal of the collection...

A summary of the key points from the recent address by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.  In his remarks, President Tokayev presented a package of constitutional and institutional reforms aimed at modernizing...

The Prague Zoo has prepared a special event for schoolchildren for the autumn holidays. Every child under 15 who hands in their old mobile phone for recycling at the main entrance will receive entry to the zoo on Friday, January 30 for just one...

Radio Prague International is celebrating 90 years since the launch of international broadcasting this year. To mark the anniversary, it has prepared a new series of QSL cards, which are among the most distinctive visual artefacts linked to the...

Over the past five years, total fertility rate in Czechia has fallen from 1.83 to below 1.3 children per woman. While declining fertility is a trend shared by most countries of comparable wealth, the drop in Czechia is among the steepest –...

With the Winter Olympics in Milan just around the corner, we’re taking a closer look at some of Czechia’s biggest medal hopefuls. One of the brightest new stars is speed skater Metoděj Jílek, just nineteen years old and already a newly crowned...

The 1990s were a period of optimism following the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia. The country underwent a rapid crash course in capitalism, and its sudden shift was also reflected in its architecture. Today, 1990s buildings are often...

The Prague Philharmonia performed at Carnegie Hall, one of the world’s most prestigious concert venues, marking its return to the United States after several years. Conducted by Emmanuel Villaume, the concert offered not only a showcase of...

In January 2006, the Škoda 14T tram, nicknamed the “Porsche” because of its design by Porsche Design, made its debut in Prague. Today, two decades later, these controversial vehicles are an unmistakable part of the streets of Prague. When the...

Conductor Jakub Hrůša has become a pop star of Czech classical music. In this episode of Sunday Music, he takes us on a journey through Richard Strauss’s Lieder, spanning nearly seventy years of the composer’s creative life. Hrůša – here not...

Peasants have long been sidelined in history books. Jakub Beneš, Associate Professor at UCL’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies in London, seeks to restore them to the historical narrative, focusing on the area of the former Austro...

In a new episode of Czechast, the podcast in English about all things Czech, former Czech NATO ambassador Jakub Landovský reflects on Ukraine, NATO and Europe’s hard lessons. Drawing on his own experience inside the Alliance, he speaks openly...

Miloš Forman Square in central Prague is set for a major transformation. This week, city officials announced the winner of an international architectural competition for the site at the end of Pařížská, Czechia’s most expensive street, near the...

Scientists from the Faculty of Technology and the Centre of Polymer Systems at Tomas Bata University in Zlín are developing an advanced model of the human small intestine. The main goal behind this effort is to replace animal testing in...

An image capturing a miner at work has won the main prize at this year’s Czech Press Photo competition. Photographer Lukáš Kaboň was awarded for documenting life underground as the country’s last operating hard coal mine approaches closure. The...

In just over two weeks, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games will get under way in northern Italy. The Czech Republic is pinning its hopes not only on its skiers, snowboarders and speed skaters, but also on its ice hockey team. Hockey fans will be...

This week, Prague Philharmonia embarks on a concert tour of the United States, performing in six cities across the American Southeast before culminating its journey at New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall. Ahead of the opening concert in Florida...

Štvanice Winter Stadium, designed in 1932 by functionalist architect Josef Fuchs, was the first arena in Czechoslovakia with an artificial ice surface. It hosted the country’s first-ever ice hockey world championship win in 1947, as well...

Czech scientists have announced an extraordinary discovery in the Moravian Karst in South Moravia. Inside one of the region’s caves, they found a rare engraving of a horse — an image created around 15,000 years ago, at the very end of the last...

Malá Strana is one of Prague’s most visited neighbourhoods and very much part of the beaten track. But behind its busy streets lies a network of stairways that lead away from crowds and into calmer, more intimate spacesand take you suddenly off...

January and February are traditionally the months when universities across the Czech Republic hold open days. The University of Defence in Brno was no exception, offering prospective students the chance to explore courses and get hands-on...

Few Czech silent films are as renowned as Erotikon, directed by Gustav Machatý in 1929. The intimate romance, provocative for its time, has now been digitally restored and will receive a major new premiere on Tuesday. The screening will feature...

This Friday, the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra celebrated a major international success in Paris, where it received the Diapason d’Or de l’Année award for its triple album of the complete symphonic works of Bedřich Smetana. The award...

Bet Orten studied fashion photography in London after a stint as an assistant to a well-known celebrity photographer in New York. But for the last decade and a half Orten, whose Instagram profile describes her as a “female photographer taking...

Exactly 120 years ago, in 1906, the Austro-Hungarian Empire began systematically registering motor vehicles, requiring the few car owners in the Czech lands — then still part of the Empire — to display a clearly visible registration plate. One...

One of Prague’s most picturesque squares – Námestí míru – was the selected site for a wedding scene in Netflix’s upcoming series The Age of Innocence, an adaptation of the famous novel by American writer Edith Wharton. Its shooting...

An image capturing a miner at work has won the main prize at this year’s Czech Press Photo competition. Photographer Lukáš Kaboň was awarded for documenting life underground as the country’s last operating hard coal mine approaches closure. The...

Czech type designers have become significant players in the field of global typography – the design of glyphs and letterforms, better known as fonts. As Dominik Jůn discovered, this field of artistic graphic design is also strongly linked to...

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary at Prague Castle: H.E. Mr. Ruslan Abashidze, new Ambassador Extraordinary and...

Snowfall on Friday transformed much of the Czech Republic into a winter wonderland. While the mountains are drawing visitors for winter sports, historic sites also take on a special charm at this time of year. And judging by last year’s...

One of the best ways to experience Prague off the Beaten Track is not on foot, but from a tram. Line 22 crosses the city from Bílá Hora to Hostivař, passing castles, squares, and residential districts along the way. Seen from street level and...

As of January 1, 2026, Czechia introduced a new amendment to its Criminal Code, placing communism on the same legal footing as Nazism. So, what does the law actually prohibit? Why was it adopted, and how does it reflect Czechia’s understanding...

Getting a tattoo may leave a lasting mark not only on your skin, but also on your immune system. This is the conclusion of a groundbreaking international study involving researchers from the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The...

Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša has been named Artist of the Year for 2026 by the International Classical Music Awards. Often described as the “Oscar of classical music,” the honour recognises his exceptional international career and his work with...

Celebrations of regional folk music and dance take place around Bohemia, Silesia and Moravia each year, drawing hundreds of admirers. And while the tradition is only brought out on special occasions, the good news is that those charmed by their...