Posts

Czechia not ready to support new draft of EU...

Czechia has announced that it will abstain in the vote on an EU migration and asylum pact expected to take place later this month. According to government officials, the new draft of the proposal would reduce the possibility of effectively...

Czech toddler with rare genetic disorder...

Little Martin, a two-year-old Czech boy with a rare hereditary disorder, is currently recovering in a hospital in France after undergoing a revolutionary new gene therapy. His treatment was paid for by public donations of more than CZK 150...

The second year of the Chamber of Deputies...

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the Voice of Oncology Patients Association organized the second annual Chamber of Deputies against Cancer event in the Chamber of Deputies. Its purpose is once again to raise awareness of this disease and at...

Visit Czechia 2023 data

Last year, almost 10 million foreign tourists (43.3% of the total) stayed in mass accommodation facilities in the Czech Republic. Another almost 12.5 million guests were Czech citizens (56.7%) who decided to spend their vacation in one of the...

Increasing numbers of children admitted to...

Over a dozen children so far this year, primarily in the Karlovy Vary region, have ended up in hospital after consuming jelly sweets containing the psychoactive substance HHC. The Ministry of Health now wants to push for an outright ban. In...

The Chamber of Deputies will commemorate the...

This year, the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic will commemorate the 20th anniversary of our country's entry into the European Union. On that occasion, several thematic activities and related events will take place in...

What will be the name of the Female Gorilla...

On Saturday, February 10 at 2 p.m., we will announce the name of the female gorilla, who was born on January 2, in the Dja Reservation pavilion at the Prague Zoo. Her "godfather", together with the mayor, Mr. City of Prague Bohuslav Svoboda...

Greek Tourism Workshop

The Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Rural Development & food of the Hellenic Republic, the Embassy of Greece in Prague, and the Greek National Tourism Organization organized a workshop for professionals to promote tourism to Greece.

Chinese New Year celebration and 75th...

To celebrate the 2024 Chinese New Year of the Dragon H.E Mr. Feng Biao – The Ambassador of People’s Republic of China to the Czech Republic organized a concert at the Prague Municipal Libary of Tradition Chinese music Performer by the Orchestra...

“I think it does feel like home”: Valerio...

When Valerio Mendoza Guillén first arrived in Prague in 2009, he had no intention of staying away from his native Venezuela for long. Fourteen years later, the documentary filmmaker and teacher at FAMU has laid strong roots in the city and has...

200-year-old Czech glassworks saved from...

Just days after Czechia’s centuries-old hand-made glass production was registered on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage, one of the oldest glass factories in the Czech Republic was forced to close its doors. Fortunately, a new buyer...

First foal of year born in Kladruby

The first foal of the year at the National Stud in Kladruby nad Labem was born on February 4. Old Kladruber horses have been bred at this location in East Bohemia for over 400 years. Source: ČTK

Expert: Most Czech lawmakers who employ...

Czech legislators are spreading disinformation on the floor of Parliament – including those from government parties. So says political scientist Miloš Gregor, who is currently also an advisor on this subject to Prime Minister Petr Fiala. I...

“There’s something for everyone”:...

After spending time abroad in both Shanghai and Brussels, František Reismüller, CEO of CzechTourism, is back in Prague working to promote Czechia as an attractive destination for tourists coming from abroad, and also internally for natives of...

“These designs are bold”: new CAMP...

Forty percent of global carbon emissions come from the construction industry, and a new exhibition at Prague’s Centre for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning (CAMP), A Lot With Little, features 10 architectural projects from the Global North...

Biathlon World Championships kick off in...

More than 250 athletes from 33 countries have gathered in the town of Nové Město na Moravě for the Biathlon World Championships, which officially got underway on Tuesday evening. The event, which runs until February 18, was ceremonially...

The mysterious, hidden Belveder near Kutná...

The summer palace Belveder, near Kutná Hora in central Bohemia, was once an architectural gem. Although it is now in ruins it has a powerful presence and many visitors say they feel a special energy within its ancient stone walls. Most people...

IT’S THE YEAR OF THE CONE! PRAGUE ZOO...

On February 2nd, the first European-bred nutcracker chick will be one year old. Šiška is already weighed over three kilograms and eats roughly two-thirds of her parents’ ration every day. Prague Zoo has prepared an extraordinary program...

Discover the sights of the Vysočina Region

Vysočina lies on the border between Bohemia and Moravia. An area of peaceful rolling hills and rural idyll, it has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other Czech region. Check out some of its landmarks in our photo gallery! See photos...

Nové Město na Moravě: Mecca of Czech...

Nové Město na Moravě lies in the heart of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and is a prominent sports resort. In winter, it is a mecca of Czech biathlon and cross-country skiing; in summer it hosts mountain bike riding events. Next week the town...

Plaque unveiled in Marseille in honour of...

A memorial plaque was unveiled in the French city of Marseille on Friday dedicated to former Czechoslovak diplomat Vladimír Vochoč, who helped to save hundreds of Jews from France during the Holocaust. Despite his service to the country, he was...

Czech start-up gives new life to used tennis...

Tennis is hugely popular but it also leaves behind a substantial amount of rubbish in the form of used tennis balls that take hundreds of years to decompose. A Czech start-up is looking at ways to keep the fuzzy yellow balls out of landfills by...

Discussion about Gender Equality index in...

According to the Gender Equality Index, the share of women among the members of the boards of directors of the largest listed companies and supervisory boards in the Czech Republic is only 21%. Compared to EU countries, the Czech Republic is...

Czech government unexpectedly expands...

The Czech government has confirmed its decision to rely on nuclear power as the main source of energy for the future. At a press briefing in Prague on Wednesday the cabinet announced plans to expand the Dukovany tender to four nuclear reactors...

President Pavel met with representatives of...

Today at the Castle, President Petr Pavel met with two dozen young people from various fields to jointly plan the connection of the activities of the president and young people for the year 2024. The President listened to the group’s...

Czech palaeontologists find remains of...

Palaeontologists have discovered that the jaw of a prehistoric animal, found a few years ago near the town of Valeč in the Karlovy Vary region, belongs to a hitherto unknown species of mammal. The unique find is the oldest evidence of a cat...

“It could decide who will be first and...

Following days of filibustering, the lower house on Thursday approved a government proposal to allow postal voting for Czechs living abroad. The governing coalition wants the bill, which faces two more readings in the lower house, approved in...

“We need to add a contemporary layer to the...

The final design for the new Vltava Philharmonic was recently revealed. Danish design studio Bjarke Ingels Group won the bid for its vision of the modern music hall in May 2022, and has now developed it into a detailed architectural study. The...

One Life – Nicholas Winton

One Life is a British biographical drama film directed by James Hawes based on the true story of a British aid worker Nicholas Winton. He made efforts to save a group of Jewish children from Czechoslovakia just before the beginning of World War...

Jazz legend Eva Olmerová born 90 years ago

Today’s edition of Sunday Music Show is dedicated to Eva Olmerová, whom many consider to be the greatest Czech jazz singer of all time. Olmerová, who was born 90 years ago last Saturday, has been labelled by critics as “our own Bessie Smith”...

Czechia’s oldest beech tree discovered in...

Czech scientists recently discovered what is believed to be the country’s oldest beech tree. Growing in a forest in Krušné Hory near the town of Horní Jiřetín, the tree witnessed the ascent of the Habsburg dynasty to the Czech throne, and is...

Czechia facing dire lack of nurses in coming...

The Czech health sector is currently short of around 3,000 registered nurses. What makes things worse is that a third of the country’s nurses are now over the age of 60 and are due to retire within the next ten years. Hospital heads are ringing...

“It’s a turning point”: Czechs and US ink...

Czechia has just signed an agreement with the United States to buy two dozen F-35 advanced fighter jets. The procurement is seen as significantly boosting the Czechs’ military capabilities and integration with NATO and represents the largest...

THE NATIONAL GALLERY PRESENTS THE 2024...

The National Gallery Prague (NGP) presents the exhibition schedule for 2024. Visitors can look forward to seeing the work of Michelangelo and other masters here for the first time, in collaboration with the Musée du Louvre. An exhibition...

The electronic music virtuoso who owes his...

Welcome to the Faces of Czech Music, the podcast where we introduce you to the fresh musical talent the country has to offer. On our first episode, we speak with musician, composer, producer, and DJ, Ondřej Mikula – better known as Aid...

“We need to be open to help all people who...

A Czech artist who goes by the name Chemis has recently unveiled a mural in Prague’s Smíchov neighbourhood. The artwork is in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders, and focusses on the civilians who are affected and injured by war, and...

Pig-killings and festive processions signal...

Colourful masks, folk dances and pig-killing feasts attract crowds of people to the streets and signal the approach of Czechia’s masopust (Mardi Gras) celebrations, traditionally followed by a 40-day fasting period before Easter. Ash Wednesday...

Ed Ley: The Englishman recording the stories...

In recent years Ed Ley has won fans on social media for his in-depth research into the streets of the Czech capital. Indeed the Englishman has already explored the stories of all the streets of Pragues 2 and 3 in daily postings on Twitter/X –...

Overhaul of labour market mooted – but would...

One of the most eye-catching of a raft of proposals from the government’s economic council is to give Czech bosses more flexibility in hiring and firing, including redundancies without stated grounds. But how much would this radical idea...

St. Brigid’s Day – Lá Fhéile Bríde

St. Brigid’s Day celebrates Ireland’s only female patron saint on February 1 and most people will be familiar with the popular tradition of making crosses in St Brigid’s honour. From 2022 it’s an official holiday in Ireland. On this day the...

Ministry memorial commemorates International...

A memorial was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague in advance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On Thursday afternoon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague held a memorial commemorating International Holocaust...

The tourism trends for 2024 will be...

Exotic pearls, attractive destinations across continents, and the most eye-catching tourist attractions in the Czech Republic. This will be presented by domestic and foreign exhibitors at the international tourism and regional tourism fair...

Prague housing development pays tribute to...

The names of three Czechoslovak ice hockey players will be used to mark the streets in a new housing development in Prague by real estate company Penta. The players, who were Olympic medal winners in the 1940’s in Czechoslovakia, were jailed...

The public can nominate personalities with a...

The Committee of Good Will – The Olga Havel Foundation (VDV) will award the thirtieth annual Olga Havel Award this year. The prestigious award goes to a person who, despite his or her health handicap, helps others. Candidates for this year can...

Czechs Should Be More Proud, Like Americans:...

Václav’s story is one of transition and adaptation; from leading a team in a pharmaceutical corporation to embarking on an entrepreneurial path with his own consulting business. Apart from his professional achievements, Václav has been...

TI: Czechia lacks political will to fight...

Czechia’s score in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has hardly improved at all over the last eight years. While its position in the 2023 ranking remains the same as the year before, it still scored well...

January 27, 1929: Václav Vojtěch becomes...

Ninety-five years ago, Václav Vojtěch, geography teacher, scientist and polar explorer, became the first Czech to reach Antarctica together with an American expedition. Václav Vojtěch was born in 1901 in the town of Skřivany, east of Prague...

Young forever

Who doesn’t want to look younger? Now it’s much more easy and closer to you. Official Hydrafacial center was newly opened in Prague city center. The center serves as a training center for clinics and cosmetic that work with Hydrafacial...

Czech region with most UNESCO heritage sites...

Vysočina can proudly boast that it has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other Czech region. It is an area of peaceful rolling hills and rural idyll, so don’t come if you like big city life – its largest urban settlement is home to only...

Czech initiative to train young Ukrainian...

Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, pilots have been unable to complete the required training necessary for their certification. In response to this, the Czech government has announced its support of a new...

Active Tourism is coming in the tourism...

The main communication topic of Czech tourism for the next two years is Active tourism. The key campaign of the CzechTourism agency Unexpected Wellbeing will show how to exercise, relax, and rest while traveling. It follows on from the original...

Oscar-winning director Bille August in...

The annual SCANDI film festival, curated by Prague’s Edison Filmhub, showcases the best of contemporary Nordic cinema. For this year’s edition, Academy Award and two-time Cannes winning Danish director Bille August is in attendance to promote...

Romania and Moldova Culture Day

At the beautiful Morzin Palace, where the Romanian Embassy is located, we celebrated the Culture Day of both Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The event was hosted by H.E. Mrs. Antoaneta Barta, Ambassador of Romania, and H.E. Mr. Alexandru...

Shocking verdict highlights treatment of...

Many Czechs have been shocked by a case in which a man got only a suspended sentence for raping his minor stepdaughter – after a court expert said the violations, which went on for two years, had not greatly impacted her. Following the verdict...

The Speaker of the House of Commons in the...

On January 25, 2024, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, led a parliamentary delegation on a two-day working trip to the United Kingdom. In London, she held talks with the Speaker of the British House of Commons...

January 20, 1969: two people emulate Jan...

On this day 55 years ago, Sándor Bauer and Josef Hlavatý emulated Jan Palach’s sacrifice and set themselves ablaze in protest of the Soviet occupation. Just a day later, two people followed Jan Palach’s example. The first was Sándor Bauer, a 16...

Greenery on the green line: smart greenhouse...

People passing through Prague’s Můstek metro station should find their commutes considerably brightened by some fresh greenery that has been placed there. A new six-metre-wide installation that extends from floor to ceiling contains around 30...

I said, We have to shoot in Prague: Director...

Many music videos have been made in Prague over the decades. But perhaps the best known of all is the 1988 video for Never Tear Us Apart by the Australian group INXS. But why Prague? And how did the recording go in the still communist city...

Jana Vohralíková leaving the Office of the...

The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, agreed with the head of the Office of the President of the Republic, Jana Vohralíková, to be relieved of her duties The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, agreed with the head of the Office of the...

Pehe: Gender focus in Czech Istanbul...

The Czech Senate rejected ratification of the Istanbul Convention in a hotly contested vote Wednesday night. The treaty, which Czechia formally signed in 2016, seeks to prevent, prosecute and eliminate domestic violence. So why have Czech...

Helena Leisztner Kroftova Exhibition

On Wednesday 24th January 2024 at the beautiful Augustine Hotel, took place the opening of Helena Laisztner Kroftova exhibition “Colors of Woman 3D” – 35 years of living art. The event was under the auspices of Terezie Radomerska – Mayor of...

Reverent meeting Candle for Olga Havlová

On the last Saturday of January, 28 years will pass since the departure of the founder of the Goodwill Committee — the Olga Havlova Foundation (VDV). A memorial meeting at the Havel family tomb in the Vinohradský cemetery with a symbolic...

Czechia still not ready to move towards euro...

At a conference marking the 20th anniversary of Czech membership in the EU, the country’s top officials highlighted the numerous advantages of belonging to the alliance. One thing they were unable to agree on was the prospect of euro adoption...

Conference marks 20th anniversary of...

This year’s celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Czechia’s accession to the European Union kicked off on Monday with a conference marking the country’s two decades of membership. It was the first in a series of events that will take...

Searching For Your Roots: Czechast With Jean...

Imagine knowing little to nothing about your roots, your lineage shrouded in the mists of time and distance. This was the reality for Jean Svoboda, an Australian with a Czech father and Latvian mother. Despite being born and raised down under...

Long-lost 16th century book returns to...

A valuable book from the early 16th century, which went missing from the Olomouc Archbishopric more than 80 years ago, was recently rediscovered. The postil, or a set of comments on Biblical texts, was officially handed over this week by the...

Czech scientists set off for annual...

Scientists from Masaryk University in Brno set out on Wednesday on their 20th expedition to the Johan Gregor Mendel Polar Station on Antarctica’s James Ross Island. The 16-member team includes climatologists, geologists, but also two filmmakers...

THE FIRST YOUNG GORILLA AT THE DJA RESERVE...

The baby lowland gorilla, which was born at the Prague Zoo on January 2, Duni, is a female. The director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek, told media representatives. The gender was determined based on a special blood test performed at the...

Gustav Mahler: a world-renowned composer who...

Gustav Mahler, one of the greatest composers of the early 20th century was born in Vysočina Region, also known as the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Mahler’s birthplace in the village of Kaliště now serves as a guesthouse, restaurant, and...

150th anniversary of birth of composer Josef...

Born in 1874, Josef Suk was known as one of the great Czech lyricists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was one of Antonín Dvořák’s favorite pupils, and also became personally close to his mentor – so much so that he married...

“These girls don’t deserve to see these...

The 2024 Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship is underway in Switzerland, and Czechia is on track to play for a medal for the first time since 2014. But the response from some Czech observers, has been far from supportive for the...

Skaters take over Baťa Canal

Skaters took to the frozen surface of the Baťa Canal in the Hodonín region at the weekend. Some played ice hockey on the frozen waterway while others skated several kilometres between villages and other spots along the canal. Source: ČTK

Specialized center for victims of sexual...

The first specialized center for victims of sexual violence in Czechia is due to open in Prague on Monday. The facility will offer victims psychological support and assistance, as well as short-term accommodation enabling them to take stock of...

President Pavel received doctors, police...

On Thursday 18.1.2024 at Prague Castle, President Petr Pavel welcomed several dozen representatives of the Integrated Rescue System who intervened in the case of a shooter at the University’s Faculty of Arts Karlovy on December 21 last...

Official visit of the President of the...

On Monday, January 15, 2024, President Pavel started a three-day trip to the Middle East in Israel. The trip was planned for a long time, President Pavel received the invitation to Israel shortly after his election as president. He started his...

January 1989: Palach Week sees rise in open...

Palach Week, which occurred 10 months before protests that toppled Czechoslovakia’s Communist regime, began 35 years ago, on January 15, 1989. The demonstrations were brutally suppressed – but still signaled a growing willingness to reject the...

Jan Marian: There is growing interest in...

Participants of talks on developing a peace formula for Russia’s war on Ukraine met in Davos last Sunday and President Zelensky subsequently asked Switzerland to organize a high-profile peace conference on the drawn-out conflict. I spoke...

Ministry pokes fun at “Kremlin fairy tales”...

Prague has been hitting back at propaganda launched after Czechia recently refused a Russian “summons” to the UN Security Council. With the social media campaign “Pro-Kremlin Fairy Tales”, the Czech Foreign Ministry is using humour to highlight...

January 1999: Copy of Turin Shroud found at...

A copy of the Shroud of Turin, venerated by some as the believed burial shroud of Jesus Christ, was discovered at Czechia’s Broumov Monastery a quarter century ago. The rare artefact is now held at a different monastery, at Prague’s Břevnov...

Broadcaster and composer Karel Janovický...

Karel Janovický a Czech-born composer, pianist and broadcaster, died last week in the United Kingdom at the age of 93. Janovický escaped from communist Czechoslovakia in 1949 and settled in London, where he worked for the BBC and headed the...

Jakub Hrůša leading series of concerts by...

Renowned Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša granted an interview to the Czech Centre New York just before conducting the first of his three concerts with the New York Philharmonic and violinist Hilary Hahn. How many times have you actually played with...

Magical Moments at Hilton Prague

Farewell to the General Manager of Hilton Prague Michael Specking and Welcome to his successor, Ryan Gauci On January 10, 2024, The Hilton Prague celebrated a memorable farewell event for its esteemed General Manager, Michael Specking, who was...

Czech scientists developing new acoustic gun...

Czech scientists have developed a system that uses artificial intelligence to detect shooting and the type of weapon used. In a critical situation, the acoustic detector can provide the police with essential information in a matter of seconds...

Famous clock tower returns to Prague’s...

A replica of a famous clock tower that used to stand outside Prague’s Florenc metro station for nearly four decades has returned to its former location. The original steel structure from the mid-1980s had degraded beyond repair due to extensive...

Four-year-old Czech girl youngest female to...

A four-year old Czech girl called Zara made headlines earlier this month when she reportedly became the youngest female to reach the base camp of Mount Everest, along with her father and seven-year-old brother. The overall length of the...

Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G major

In the first part of our video series on Czech Music Greats, we introduce one of the best-known names in Czech classical music – Antonín Dvořák. Antonín Dvořák is known worldwide for his New World Symphony, but without doubt, one of his...

Kaveh Daneshmand: My dream is to one day...

Iran-born Kaveh Daneshmand moved to Prague to study film a decade and a half ago and has been based in the city ever since. Alongside his own filmmaking projects, Daneshmand heads the Írán:ci festival of Iranian cinema. On the eve of this...

Czechast: Living Between Moravia and England

Why and how did a young woman from Brno find her new home in Britain? How does this impact her sense of nationality and identity? Does she feel more British or Czech? That’s what I ask Leona Merclová who lives on a canal boat in England...

“Things have changed for the better”: Raymi...

Twenty-five-year-old Raymi Britto had no intention of starting up an Instagram account that would garner thousands of followers when he first moved to Prague eight years ago. But today, the Italian native reaches audiences from local Czechs, to...

The First Echidna after Seventy Years

I started calling her Pýchavka (Puffball). Pýchavka with y, although for a spiny animal, Píchavka would be more suggestive. (Píchavka is derived from the verb píchat, which means to prickle in English). But in the first video taken by the...

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the...

Every year the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic organizes a traditional Gala Dinner. Is a wonderful opportunity to meet both familiar faces and new people and to network informally in the exceptional atmosphere of the Four...

THE GORILLA GROWS YOUNG. VISITORS CAN NOW...

More than a week after birth, the cub is thriving, Duni is proving to be a great mother, and the gorilla group is calm. Therefore, it is now possible to waive the measures where visitors could not watch the gorillas directly at the glass of the...

World’s oldest wooden object soon to...

A 7,000-year-old well found in Czechia’s Pardubice region six years ago will soon be on display as part of an archaeological exhibition at the Museum of East Bohemia. The wooden well, which has been in the care of restorers for the last few...

Vysočina Region boasts natural beauty and...

Vysočina, sometimes known as the Czech Highlands, lies in the very centre of the country, where Bohemia meets Moravia. The country’s fifth largest region is famous for its untouched natural beauty, clean environment and numerous historical...

Tábor Zoo to provide sanctuary for wild...

The sad truth is that more wild animals are kept in private ownership in Czechia than in zoos – often illegally and in very poor conditions. Until now there has been a problem finding places to put animals that are rescued from such situations...

Cold snap driving up demand for Salvation...

This past week, Czechia has seen temperatures drop below -20 degrees in the north of the country, while Prague expects to see a low of -11 by mid-week. The extreme cold has a profound impact on vulnerable groups, specifically those who are...

Czechia Explained Again. Czechast Special...

Following the publication of my previous episode on the name “Czechia”, I received a brisk reaction from a vehement proponent of the name in international forums Professor Pavlínek who teaches goegraphy in Prague and Omaha, Nebraska...

Foreign music stars to perform in Czechia in...

Depeche Mode, Rammstein, Ed Sheeran or Sting, these are just some of the famous names due to perform in Czechia in 2024. In this year’s first edition of Sunday Music Show, you can have a listen to some of their biggest hits. Among the first big...