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The Czech School Without Borders has been running in London since 2007, allowing children with a Czech parent to enhance their language skills and meet other kids from bilingual families. On a recent visit to the UK, I stopped by the school to...

The Plzeň 35th Regiment, whose fame is reflected in a song familiar to many Czechs, was founded in 1683. The military annals of the Austrian monarchy state that Emperor Leopold I commissioned George Frederick, Duke of Württemberg, to set up an...

The 10th edition of Prague’s ÍRÁN:CI festival of Iranian film gets underway on Wednesday. This time it is taking place in the shadow of four months of unprecedented protests and brutal repression in Iran – a situation which has greatly shaped...

Czech scientists, in cooperation with their colleagues from Great Britain, are carrying out research aimed at tracing the origins of medieval Gregorian chants. They are doing so with the help of computational algorithms, that are commonly used...

A team of scientists from Brno has announced a unique discovery that could contribute to an innovative and sustainable way of lighting in the future, possibly even replacing electric light bulbs. The results of their study, based on the inner...

The 2023 Dakar Rally was only a few days away from ending and Czech rally raid truck driver Aleš Loprais was in the lead. But he has now confirmed that he is dropping out of the famous race following an incident where a spectator died after...

Despite the Velvet Divorce, relations between Czechia and Slovakia still remain very close. This is perhaps most evident in the Moravian Slovakia region, which lies on the border between the two countries. Radio Prague International visited the...

Although still a largely unknown sport among the majority of Czechs, cricket has been played in Czechia since at least the 1990s. Today the country boasts several leagues as well as a national team that has even set some records. The sport is...

Prague’s Municipal Library has recently become a hit among foreign tourists visiting the Czech capital. The reason? An artwork called Idiom that has been in the library’s lobby since 1998, and which has just recently become a hit on social...

Adina Biguine was born in Kyrgyzstan, but spent more than half of her life in Prague. She originally came to the Czech capital to study at the Faculty of Humanities, but instead of psychology, she decided to pursue the art of pastry making...

The Czech government has approved an amendment to the Road Traffic Act that will mean higher penalties for the most serious transgressions such as speeding and drink-driving, while allowing young people to start driving a year earlier, from the...

On moving to the Czech Republic, many foreigners are surprised to find famous women such as Hillary Clinton and Meryl Streep referred to in the Czech media as ‘Hillary Clintonová’ and ‘Meryl Streepová’. Now one Czech news outlet has sparked...

Monday saw no fewer than nine former Czech prime ministers attend a special dinner hosted by the country’s current head of government, Petr Fiala. The get together was organised on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of...

Days after it ended, cabinet members publicly assessed Czechia’s presidency of the European Union on Tuesday. The Europe minister said the country’s success during six months at the helm of the EU had surprised fellow members – and improved its...

Next year Prague is set to see the goodbye concert of Kiss, a return of Maroon 5 and the first ever visit of Jack Black’s Tenacious D. In Brno, locals can look forward to bands such as Deep Purple or the Hollywood Vampires led by Johnny Depp...

Czechs and Slovaks are marking 30 years since they parted in what has become known as the Velvet Divorce. Although the two nations have gone their separate ways, culturally they remain very close and nowhere is this more evident than in the...

Stigma around mental health issues and seeking professional help to deal with them has traditionally been high in Czechia. But a survey suggests attitudes may be changing, even among the older generation. According to OECD data, Czechia seems...

František Kupka was the first artist in the world to publicly exhibit abstract art and received a lot of negative reviews for doing so. But nowadays his abstract paintings sell for millions – in 2021 one of his works fetched over GBP 7.5...

Jaroslav Hašek, author of the most translated Czech book The Good Soldier Švejk, died 100 years ago today ( January 3, 1923) before he had reached the age of forty. Vit Pohanka looks at the life and work of this improbable titan of Czech...

One of the biggest movies in the world at present, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, has a Czech connection. The Netflix hit heavily features crystal sculptures made by a small company from North Bohemia. The current number one film globally...

Millions of people round the world have got used to seeing the New Year in with a grandiose fireworks display. Now Czech scientists from the Academy of Sciences are warning about the damage that the harmful chemicals from fireworks can do to...

Soviet-era Russian dissident Viktor Fainberg, one of the eight brave human rights activists who risked their lives to protest against the Soviet-led occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, has died at the age of 91. Fainberg was locked up in a...

Demand is falling and the economy is headed for recession according to the head of the Czech National Bank Aleš Michl. Meanwhile, the IMF’s chief Kristalina Georgieva has said that half of the European Union will experience a recession in 2023...

The European Commission recently approved a new prostate cancer drug called Pluvicto, co-developed by a Czech researcher. The revolutionary treatment, designed for patients with advanced prostate cancer for whom other treatments have proved...

Czechoslovakism, the idea of a unitary political Czechoslovak nation with two ethnic and linguistic branches, was one of the foundational ideas of the First Czechoslovak Republic. It was born of both political pragmatism and 19th century...

This January marks 30 years since the end of the common Czech and Slovak state. While some of the phenomena that ultimately led to the Czechoslovak split can be identified already in the early and mid-20th century, the separation of the two...

“A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” This is the maxim often cited to explain the sometimes arbitrary distinctions between languages and dialects. So what about the case of Czech and Slovak, which are generally considered to be...

Traditionally, the arrival of the New Year kicks off the largest and most successful fund-raiser in the country. The Three Kings Collection involves thousands of children taking to the streets in groups of three dressed as the three wise men...

It weighs just two kilograms and can be packed for travel, but it sounds just like the wooden original. The 3D printed cellos made by the Přerov-based company Sensio.cz are being exported across the world and the business has plans to expand...

In response to the Taliban‘s crackdown on women’s rights in Afghanistan, several international aid organisations, including the Czech NGO People in Need, have suspended their programmes in the country. Last weekend the Afghan Ministry of the...

One of the main Dja Reserve expositions was completed by two male African bush pigs. They will be sharing it with a group of De Brazza’s monkeys.

Czech artist Yemi Ayinkemi Dele (professionally known as Yemi A.D.) is one of eight people selected to join Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa on a trip around the Moon on board Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket next year. The dancer and choreographer...

Toyen was unconventional in many ways for a woman of her time and even by today’s standards, both in her life and art. She rejected gender conformism, favouring a gender-neutral pseudonym over her birth name, referring to herself in Czech...

This is the last episode in our series A Stitch in Time, where young people tell stories from their family’s past. We have a taste of sugarcane from Guangdong province in China, we meet a Jewish boy in Baltimore who remembers his own...

Ester Ledecká has been crowned Czech Sportsperson of the Year for the second time. The 27-year-old took her third Olympic gold medal in Beijing – but perhaps surprisingly says that wasn’t the high point of her 2022. Ester Ledecká was named...

The number of electric vehicles in Czechia is growing and according to official estimates their number could reach 100,000 by 2030. Most of them will be in the capital city. Prague has therefore decided to increase the number of charging...

Virtually every Czech household will be eating some form of potato salad as part of their Christmas Eve dinner – but everyone seems to have their own recipe and surprisingly the list of ingredients can spark heated debate between the...

This edition of Sunday Music Show marks the Fourth Sunday of Advent, called Golden Sunday here in Czechia, when people light the last candle on their Christmas wreath. To help you get into the festive spirit we’ll be listening to some of the...

Running a successful small business requires a combination of hard work, planning, and the ability to adapt to changing conditions. In order to achieve success, you must be prepared to go the extra mile and make smart decisions that will...

The number of cross-cultural marriages in Czechia is on the rise. Last year alone close to 5,000 Czechs tied the knot with a partner from a different cultural background. Kevin Loo explores the challenges and joys of being married to a Czech...

The first lung transplantation was performed by the team of Professor Pavel Pafko from the Prague Motol University Hospital on December 22, 1997. The first patient with a lung transplant in Czechia is Josef Moravec, from Nymburk. The man, who...

For readers around the world, Josef Lada’s illustrations of the Good Soldier Švejk are inextricably linked to the famous character created by Jaroslav Hašek. But Lada did far more than illustrate Hašek’s novel, and his idealised...

Independent Prague cinema Kino Pilotů received a prize for Best Programming at the Europa Cinemas Awards earlier this month – the first time a Czech movie theatre has won. But what makes the small “kino” so special? Film buffs and cinema...

Over a million Christmas trees are sold in Czechia each year, many of them having been imported from as far as Denmark and Norway. A new initiative, called Zachraň stromek or Save a Tree, has come up with a more sustainable way of celebrating...

Nobody is as impacted by the freezing weather we have had recently in Czechia as the homeless. However, some are being helped by the Iglou, which offers an alternative to night shelters. The portable emergency shelter was introduced to this...

Czechia’s six-month presidency of the European Union is slowly coming to a close. Petr Fiala’s cabinet took over the role at a challenging moment, with Russia still waging war against Ukraine and energy prices rocketing. So what have been the...

On Saturday, December 24, many Czechs will be putting up and decorating Christmas trees – and enjoying the common seasonal dinner of carp and potato salad. But while Czech seasonal traditions are much loved, some are relatively new – and have...

As our Christmas gift to you, RPI is showcasing some Czech Christmas traditions for you to try at home. Do you already practice any of these? Watch the video here.

Despite the economic crisis, Czechs have donated a record amount to charity this year. According to preliminary statistics of the Czech Donors Forum, the final sum collected in 2022 is expected to reach some CZK 15 billion. This year, the money...

Český Krumlov, one of Czechia’s best preserved historic towns, is celebrating three decades since it was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The listing placed the town on the global tourist map with tens of millions of visitors...

Angels on stilts are one of the popular attractions that create a magical Christmas atmosphere in the historic center of Prague. Source

Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh awarded Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo’s director, the “Order of the Polar Star” – the highest state decoration a foreign national can receive.

Despite the building activities performed for the sake of experts, winning prizes in various (architectural) competitions, or building a personal monument, it does not work that way in everyday life.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, made an official trip to Moldova as the head of the parliamentary delegation.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, led a parliamentary delegation on an official trip to neighboring Poland from November 7 to 9.

Natural stone has been one of the most used elements in construction since the beginning of time, due to its excellent characteristics. Today, we can see a great comeback of natural stone, and the key to keeping the current trend fresh is using...

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová spoke and actively participated at the First Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform which took place in the building of the National and University Library in...

The Dja Reserve, as we called the new gorilla pavilion, is open! It is a culmination of years of work, to which many of us devoted a piece of our lives.

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová organized a meeting of chairpersons of EU parliaments in Brussels to discuss the situation of Ukrainian refugees. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Speaker of the...

Few weeks ago the Embassy of the Republic of Korea celebrated the Grand Opening of the New Chancery of the Embassy The Ambassador H.E. Mr. Tae-jin Kim hosted an event attended by the Prime Minister Mr. Petr Fiala, Presidential Envoy and...

Healthy ecosystems provide food and food security, clean water, carbon sinks, and protection against natural disasters caused by climate change. They are essential for our long-term survival, wellbeing, prosperity, and security, as they are the...

A new book written by Miroslav Bobek (Prague Zoo Manager), which was recommended by word-renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall is now in available English.

Speech by H.E. Mr. Egemen Bağış, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Prague Today on this cold winter day, most of us came here with our comfortable cars in our warm and cozy clothing. And we will stay here for less than an hour. However...

The best place to live in Czechia is the Central Bohemian town of Říčany, followed by Prague according to this year’s Quality of Life Index put together by the Obce v Datech project. The annual list is created by using big data analysis to...

An international team of scientists working to save the northern white rhino from extinction has announced a major breakthrough. They have succeeded in cultivating primordial germ cells, the precursors of rhino eggs and sperm, from stem cells...

The Ambassador of Pakistan H.H Mr. Muhammad Khalid Jamali host at his resident a reception for the participants and organizers of 7th interfaith conference jointly being organized by Czech ministry of Foreign affairs, IIR, Anna lindh foundation...

A new street dedicated to the late Czech president, dissident and playwright Václav Havel was unveiled in Luxembourg on Tuesday. The ceremony, marking a symbolic end to the Czech presidency of the EU Council, was attended by Czech Prime...

Architect Jan Kaplický earned an international reputation for futuristic projects that often resemble something out of a sci-fi movie. Now one of his earliest realised projects, a London apartment designed in the 1980s, has been brought back to...

Celebrated Argentine tenor, composer and conductor José Cura has a long-standing relationship with Czechia: in addition to recording an album of love songs by Dvořák in 2003, he was also a resident artist for three years with the Prague...

Václav Havel is coming to Czech schools. Well, not exactly, but an AI version of him is to be introduced into the civic education curriculum of several Czech secondary schools from January of next year with the aim of educating children about...

Czechs are not very mobile or quick to act. At least that is the generally accepted truth. But are Czechs as a nation really lacking in enterprising spirit, curiosity, and mobility? There is a well-known Czech fairy tale character called...

A new project on the Google Arts & Culture platform is a real treasure trove, bringing together over 3,000 Czech art works from some of the country’s top institutions. Entitled The HeART of Czechia, it was launched within the Czech EU...

With Christmas just around the corner, there’s no better time than now to stop by one of Prague’s many Christmas markets. Czechs may be buying less this year but they are enjoying the good cheer. It’s the most festive time of the year and...

Czech scout troops have collected the Light of Bethlehem, a modern symbol of the Christmas season, from their colleagues at the Austrian border this past weekend. They will now distribute it across the country, placing it in churches and...

Josef Čapek was a Czech painter, writer, photographer, graphic designer and book illustrator. He is the elder brother of the writer Karel Čapek, with whom he worked closely, and contrary to popular belief it was Josef who coined the word...

“Digital nomad” is a phrase that many of us have been hearing increasingly frequently in recent years. In 2021, Merriam-Webster even added the term to their dictionary. And Czechs are no exception to this trend – more and more of them are...

In this episode we have four stories set in the Czech or Moravian countryside, tales of ordinary people living through times that were anything but ordinary. Three of them take us back to the Stalinist years of the early 1950s in...

The acclaimed Czech artists Květa and Jitka Válová, who were twins, were born 100 years ago, on December 13, 1922. The sisters shared a date of birth, a lifelong home in the formerly industrial town of Kladno, near Prague, and great artistic...

Along with Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák is perhaps the best known Czech composer. Contemporary accounts from the time of his life show that it was not just Dvořák’s music that made an impression on people, but his character as well.

Preview the content page of the new issue which is coming soon.

Ukrainian soldiers have begun training here in Czechia, days after the country’s legislators approved such a move. Meanwhile, the country’s commitment to helping the country is reflected in a report that one Czech factory is producing a tank...

Unique photographs from the WWII Terezín ghetto are set to be shown at the European Parliament in Brussels as the six-month Czech presidency of the EU comes to a close. The photos had been lost for decades and only recently came to light...

A road in the fields between Tišnov and Jamný in the Brno region is newly decorated with an altar to St. Barbara created by amateur blacksmith Radim Tichý. The roadside altar stands on a stone pedestal, cut and shaped from a rock by Tichý. The...

The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), whose headquarters are located in Prague, is set to open up to visitors from the public this Friday and Saturday for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The rapidly...

At least two-fifths of Czechs believe that victims of rape are partly responsible for the crime, for example because of the way they dress or behave, suggests a new survey commissioned by human rights watchdog Amnesty International. The good...

The centuries-old Czech tradition of timber rafting has been newly added to UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list. The nomination, submitted together with rafts men’s associations in Germany, Austria, Poland, Latvia and Spain, was approved...

One of Czechia’s most famous and respected architects, Josef Pleskot, was born on December 3, 1952, in the South Bohemian town of Písek. He was selected as the most influential person on the Czech architecture scene between the years 1990-2009...

Czech piano manufacturer PETROF is unquestionably one of Czechia’s best known brands. The company, based in the town of Hradec Králové, produced its first piano already in 1864. Today PETROF is the largest manufacturer of acoustic pianos in...

There is a saying: “Every Czech a musician”. But is there any truth in it? One can hardly doubt, that this country has a very long and rich musical tradition. But are Czechs really more musical than other nations? Vít Pohanka set out to find...

Fumio Obata is a British-based Japanese comic artist who specializes in ‘comic reportage’. This summer, he spent a three-week residency programme in Prague, organised by the Czech Literary Centre in cooperation with the international Lakes...

Tunnel Vision by Lazer Viking is sure to feature in many Czech LPs of the Year lists. On this latest record the artist, AKA Jakub Kaifosz, has abandoned the guitars of previous releases for a pure ‘80s, super catchy synth pop sound. What hasn’t...

If you wander into any Czech chapel or church during the festive season you are likely to see elaborate nativity scenes on display. These ‘betlémy’, as they are known in Czech, have a long and interesting history – and a large private...

The recent case of Twitter shows us that we should work to create alternative futures for the Internet because we need it to be resilient, trustworthy and sustainable. These alternative futures have one thing in common: they are based on...

We bring three very different tales of heroism during the 1930s and 1940s. The first is a classic story of wartime courage and adventure, as seventeen-year-old Rade Meech-Tatić recounts a dramatic episode in the life of his grandfather as a...

The Automatic Mills in Pardubice, one of the most famous buildings by the pioneering Czech architect and designer Josef Gočár, is currently undergoing a major transformation into a new multi-functional public space. The monumental structure...

Their paintings adorn the foyer of the National Theatre, the Municipal House and the Astronomical Clock. This Radio Prague International series presents artists who have achieved success on a global scale. They include the founder of Czech...

Prague Castle has announced that Bohemia’s crown jewels and the skull of Saint Wenceslas will be displayed to the public in January next year, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Czech Republic. Next year’s exhibition will be all the...

Single-use plastic packaging contributes to landfill waste and microplastics in the oceans and drinking water. Small Czech firm Myco’s mycelium-based packaging material offers a completely biodegradable alternative – and received...

Czechs living outside their home country have until this coming Sunday, December 4, to register to vote in January’s presidential elections. Meanwhile the current government’s pledge to introduce postal voting has not become reality. Direct...

Musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jiří Stivín turned 80 this week. As every year, he will celebrate with a concert in tribute to St. Cecilia, the patron of musicians. Jiří Stivín was born 23 November 1942 in Prague. He graduated from...