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Mobi clings to the rope in the exhibition and observes visitors to the Dja Reserve pavilion. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

Female gorilla Mobi, born in January at the Prague Zoo, is the current star of the Reserve Dja pavilion. She is learning to walk and hang on a rope, while her mother Duni allows her to go on increasingly daring expeditions around the area. The almost six-month-old cub is also trying to communicate with the cloaked gueres that inhabit the same exhibit, and through the glass with the visitors as well. Mobi also started looking for contact with the second cub, the two-and-a-half-month-old Gaia.

“The period that we have all been looking forward to here is coming. Baby gorillas are finally starting to interact,” says the director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek. “As beautiful as it is to see the two cubs together, perhaps even more impressive is tiny Mobi playing with her father, the mighty Kisum. A male silverback allows his firstborn daughter to touch his face and rummage through his fur. It never ceases to amaze me how strong the bonds these primates form with each other.”

Baby gorillas already know about each other and spend time together more and more often. From left, Gaia, Mobi and her mother Duni. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The female Mobi, whose half-year birthday awaits on July 2, is already trying to swallow the food of adult gorillas – vegetables, leaves or a bite from branches, in addition to sucking mother’s milk. So far she just chewed it up and spit it out.

“Mobi waddles around the exhibit and when a gorilla drops a bite from its mouth, she tries to chew it herself. She also swallows and digests the new solid food – the change in color of her droppings is proof for us,” explains Martin Vojáček, chief primate keeper of the Prague Zoo. “Gaia is only sucking milk so far, but we just found out that her two lower incisors have already cut through. Both cubs are developing completely healthily and the situation in the whole troop is very calm. It’s still true that eight-year-old Ajabu is the biggest provocateur, and it’s nice that his wish to play with the cubs is slowly coming true,” he adds.

It is best for visitors to the Prague Zoo to come to the Dja Reserve around 10 am or 3 pm. Gorillas are active feeding at that time. During the current summer temperatures, a family of lowland gorillas can also be found in a large outdoor enclosure. The whole group prefers to go there after 4 p.m. With the exception of the indoor pavilions, the Prague Zoo is currently open until 9 p.m.

At the age of less than half a year, Mobi is very inquisitive and under the increasingly benevolent supervision of her mother Duni (right) shows an interest in her surroundings. The female Kijivu (and also Moba’s great-grandmother, left) lends her daughter Gaia a careful touch without any problems. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Ondřej Soška, ​​general commissioner of the Czech participation in the world exhibition EXPO 2025, was elected to the so-called Steering Committee. He thus became one of the six representatives of the European Union, who will have greater influence in negotiations with the Japanese organizers and will be able to better promote Czech and European interests

“I greatly value being elected to the steering committee, and at the same time, I feel a great obligation to those who have placed their trust in me. I know from my predecessors that the Steering Committee is a key body in the preparatory phase of the World Exhibition and during it. At the beginning of June, we organized a successful coordination meeting of the participating states of the European Union at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague. We wanted to show on the one hand that we take the Czech participation in the world exhibition in Osaka, Japan extremely seriously, but also that we are able to organize a high-quality and interesting event in the way we plan to do it in the Czech national pavilion next year,” explains the general commissioner of the Czech participation in the world exhibition Ondřej Soška and adds: “Representatives of European countries also noticed this fact and suggested me as a nominee for the steering committee.”

Commissioner-General Soška was elected to the Steering Committee during the International Meeting of Participating Countries, which took place this week in Nara, Japan, a regional business center and tourist town about 30 kilometers from Osaka. They will be among the representatives from France, Italy, Holland, Romania, and Slovenia (for the EU), but also for example the USA, Great Britain, Switzerland or Brazil.

The Steering Committee is a management committee composed exclusively of commissioners general of the participating countries, who are elected from among the member states of the International Bureau for Exhibitions (BIE). It currently has 26 members. The committee represents the interests of the member countries, manages the discussion with the host country, and is also supposed to be the closest partner of the Japan Association for EXPO 2025. Its goal is to make daily operations as easy as possible and make preparations for the world exhibition more efficient.

At the beginning of the first meeting of the Steering Committee, its members elected the chairman, the Swiss Commissioner General Manuel Salchli. He has been involved in world exhibitions for almost 20 years and is one of the most experienced members of the committee. Vice-chairmen became commissioners general from China, Mali, and Peru. However, the first meeting was not only a protocol meeting, but given that there are only 290 days left until the start of EXPO 2025, the committee discussed with representatives of the organizers a whole range of issues that arose from the meeting within the framework of the two-day International Meeting of Participating Countries. Among the topics discussed were operational issues of national pavilions, opportunities for international cooperation at business conferences or rules for the operation of commercial spaces.

About the Czech pavilion at EXPO 2025

In December 2022, after more than twenty years, the Office of the Commissioner General announced an open anonymous architectural competition for the design of the national pavilion for EXPO 2025. 38 competition teams applied for it, from which an expert jury led by the world-renowned architect Eva Jiřična selected the winning design in March 2023 in the shape of a glass spiral by Apropos Architects. The supporting structure of the building will be made up of modern wooden panels, while the facade will be made of art glass, which has a centuries-old tradition in the Czech Republic. The national pavilion will offer a worthy background for the Czech participation in EXPO 2025, which will be held from April to October 2025 on the artificial island of Yumeshima in the Osaka Bay. The pavilion will have a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business meetings, a restaurant, a VIP lounge, and in front of the pavilion there will be a relaxation area with a view of the sea for visitors.

About Czech participation in EXPO 2025

The Czech Republic will participate as an independent state in the EXPO world exhibition for the sixth time. Ondřej Soška, ​​who won the selection procedure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with his concept and theme “Talent and creativity for life”, holds the position of general commissioner from September 2022. The Czech Republic should be presented in Osaka not only with what the Japanese know very well and have admired for a long time, for example Czech glass and classical music, but especially with Czech innovations, nanotechnologies, promising startups, and regional talent.

You can find more information on the website of the Czech participation in the world exhibition EXPO 2025. You can also follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

From January 2023, the Office of the General Commissioner is part of the network of Czech Centers.

On the occasion of the 50^th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Czech Republic, The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand H.E. Mr. Suwat  Kaewsook and Mrs. Patcharin Naewsook host a Thai cultural event in the beautiful garden of the Thai Ambassador’s Resident.

H.E Mr. Václav Klaus Former President of the Czech Republic, his spouse Mrs. Livia Klausová, and Mr. Jiří Kozák – Deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic were the honored guests.

The guests enjoyed Traditional Thai Music, Dance, and Khon masked dance as part of exploring the charm of Thailand from a very talented young Thai band.

Watch the Video from the event:

On the occasion of the Statehood Day of the Republic of Slovenia and the end of the Ambassador duty in the Czech Republic, H.E. Mrs. Tanja Strniša and Mr. Toni Strniša host a reception at the Embassy’s beautiful garden.

Mr. Eduard Hulicius – Deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic was the honored guest.

Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Mr. H.E. Mrs. Tanja Strniša – Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia and Mr. Eduard Hulicius – Deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic.

We will miss the Ambassador and Toni.

We walked through the large acclimatization enclosure in Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe and looked around in vain for the three Przewalski’s horses that we released here. Finally, we noticed a movement in the distance. But it was only a solitary saiga.

I was beginning to worry about what could have happened. David flew the drone to check the parts of the enclosure that were out of our sight. Again nothing. And then, to my delight, three horses’ heads emerged from the tall reeds at the watering hole. Zorro, Ypsilonka and “my” Zeta II. All three Przewalski’s horses looked at us, they came closer as if they wanted to get a better look at us, and measuredly ran away. After two days and three nights they were at home in the enclosure.

Zorro in the acclimatization enclosure in Alibi last Friday morning. Photo Miroslav Bobek.

But the four “Berlin“ mares, which we had released to the second enclosure the previous evening, were still very  restless and kept to the fence. We left them alone and went to load our luggage to move to Arkalyk and from there to return to Prague. However, three of our staff – including Ganbaatar, who has tremendous experience from Gobi – remained in the reintroduction centre together with our colleagues from Kazakhstan to monitor the acclimatization of the horses.

Despite the glory that accompanied the arrival of our first plane a few days ago, only the return to Arkalyk made us feel how local people appreciate our project. When I went out to have an espresso, guests in the coffee shop recognized me, started asking me questions and taking photos with me. When one of the soldiers went to have a haircut, he didn’t have to pay anything because he brought wild horses. And when my colleagues visited a local museum, they got free entry as well as the guide.

The return of the wild horses aroused enormous interest in Kazakhstan, and it gradually began to spill over the world. It is written about almost everywhere, which creates an interesting contrast to the lack of interest of part of the media in our country. On the other hand, the Instagram reel capturing releasing of Zeta II has already received 6 million of views.

It took us the whole of Sunday to return home by the military plane with two stopovers. Still on the way I received an unexpected message from the acclimatization centre in Alibi:  “We went to see Zorro and the others in the afternoon,” the researches Martina and Anna wrote. “After barely a half-an-hour of recording we saw the first mating attempt with Zeta II. According to all indications she is already in heat the fifth day after arrival, and she is receptive to the stallion.”

After my return, in between taking care for backlogs and writing thank you messages to all who helped us, more and more news is coming about our horses in Kazakhstan. Shortly: also “Berlin” mares started looking better and a camera trap captured them going to drink as well. And Zorro repeatedly mated Zeta II.

“Berlin” mares at the watering hole. Photo from camera trap.

By: Miroslav Bobek

To mark the end of our Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024, The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Mr. Jurgen Van Meirvenne organize a Belgian Carillon Concert in front of the Rudolfinum (Namesti Jana Palacha), Prague 1.

Watch the Video from the event:

H.E. Ms. Suzilah Mohd Sidek, Ambassador of Malaysia, hosted a Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House at her beautiful residence.

Hari Raya open houses are the ultimate celebration of Malaysian hospitality, where family, friends, and even strangers gather to share mouth-watering traditional food and good company.

It’s a cultural event where doors are kept wide open, and everyone is welcome to join in the festivities

At its core, the Hari Raya open house symbolizes unity’ generosity and communal harmony. It reflects the Malaysian ethos of “Muhibbah” – the spirit of tolerance and understanding across different ethnic and religious boundaries, making it an exemplary practice of Malaysia’s multiculturalism.

According to Eurostat, women in the Czech Republic earn on average 17.9% less than men, which means that they work 65 days longer on average to reach the same remuneration as men. This is the third worst result among EU countries. The goal of the Equal Pay Day conference is to draw attention to this issue, open public discussion, and help find solutions to make pay fair. At the same time, it also significantly contributes to strengthening the position of women in society and on the labor market by presenting female role models, sharing experiences, education, and mentoring.

“The issue of equal opportunities is a societal issue, and for it to be successful, men must be involved in its solution. The difference in wages between men and women is unfair not only to women but above all to entire families,” says Lenka Šťastná, founder and president of the non-profit organization Business & Professional Women CR, which organizes EPD. “The Czech Republic is moving forward very slowly. We keep coming up against the prejudices we are brought up with. There are preconceived notions of what is a typically female and typically male profession.”

According to Frederik Jorgensen, the ambassador of Sweden, which traditionally ranks first in the Gender pay gap index, “the Czech Republic should arm itself with patience, as quick successes in this area cannot be expected.” In Sweden, the representation of women in influential positions is exceptionally high in private companies even in politics, yet it is “only 36% of women on the boards of large companies and 12.1% of women in the position of general directors. “There’s no reason why the number shouldn’t be higher,” he added during the ambassadors’ panel discussion, where he spoke alongside the ambassadors of South Africa, Malaysia, Denmark and a representative of the Central European Initiative (CEI).

The opportunity for change is still here

That is why this year’s conference was subtitled Opportunity. The opportunity that equality means for companies, households, women themselves and for the Czech economy. As it turns out, there are already a number of companies whose example shows the way. Representatives of such companies as Philip Morris, Danone, Mars, GasNet, Lego, VML, ČEPs, Skupina Nova or Pestle & Mortar shared their inspiring strategies.

“At Philip Morris, we purposefully focus on a sufficiently high representation of women in management. In practice, we often encounter a lack of women interested in growing into these positions,” says Andrea Gontkovičová, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Philip Morris for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and HU, which was the general partner of the conference. “For us, it is important that women’s interest in career growth is authentic, so that women do not seek to obtain an influential position just because they are forced into this situation. They can then draw strength from their own decision in moments when they encounter a barrier in their career or find themselves at some of the crossroads in life.”

The expert partner of the conference this year was the Equal Remuneration project of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. In her presentation, Lenka Simerská, the main manager of the project, dispelled disinformation spreading around the legislation requiring transparency in remuneration. “Transparency means the right to information: how much is earned for a given position in the company where you work, plus the possibility to ask why I am where I am. And this information should already be heard during the interview,” said Lenka Simerská. And finally, she advised women: “Act as if the legislation already applies, ask about money. Let’s turn it into an opportunity!”

Record attendance

This year’s jubilee year saw record participation, including a record number of foreign performers from 15 countries around the world, as well as the number of mentees, which exceeded two thousand.

The international reputation of the Equal Pay Day conference is underlined by the support of leading international institutions such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and CEI, which designated it as a flagship event this year. According to Lenka Šťastná, their cooperation is not only a recognition of the efforts made so far, but also the key to expanding the reach and influence of the conference. It is precisely thanks to the support of CEI that this year’s edition can rightfully bear the designation of international.

In a speech for EPD, Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, OECD Deputy Secretary General, emphasized that the promotion of gender equality is a strategic policy of the OECD and listed three key measures that are necessary to change the current situation. “First, it is necessary to continue to support the more equal use of parental leave by fathers and mothers. Second, it is very important to ensure continuous and affordable formal childcare and out-of-school services for all young children. And third, policymakers can reduce the fiscal disincentive to work, ie. to ensure that the tax and benefit system does not favor single or main earner families,” he said.

The European Commission includes the EPD campaign and conference among the important measures of the EU and its member states to support equal pay. This topic is gaining importance together with the newly created obligation to implement ESG sustainable business principles and related non-financial reporting (CSRD). Among the metrics that must be monitored and reported under the “S” pillar are, among others, the gender pay gap, the level of representation of women in top management and equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion. And that’s exactly what the Equal Pay Day conference is dedicated to.

The next edition of the conference will take place on 25-26 March 2025 again at the Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague.

Equal Pay Day 2024 in numbers:

16 nationalities

36 speakers at the conference

812 participants

78 female mentors

2,180 mentees

On Thursday, April 11, 2024, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, went on a one-day working trip to Vilnius for the summit of the Three Seas Initiative, which unites thirteen countries from Central and Eastern Europe.

The summit aimed to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the region through deepening cooperation in the energy, transport, or digital economy sectors. For example, a concrete project is to connect the transport infrastructure using high-speed lines, which could connect the Czech Republic and Poland via the Baltic states in the future.

“The main goal of this summit of the Three Seas countries was, on the one hand, to express continued support for Ukraine, with absolutely specific promises, agreements and at the same time with specific projects. And the second was to emphasize cooperation between member countries and partner countries in the three key areas, that is primarily energy, transport infrastructure, and digital technology,” said President Pavel.

The representatives of the states also confirmed their unequivocal support for Ukraine and their readiness to participate in its reconstruction. President Pavel was among the main speakers of the plenary session.

At the same time, the President used his business trips to attend several bilateral meetings with international partners. Among them with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Sesto head of state Alar Karis.

Photo author: Tomáš Fongus, CPR.

Ambassador Bijan Sabet and the Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy in cooperation with the Czech Franchising Association (ČAF) are organizing a presentation of American franchise brands that are looking for partners/master franchisees in the Czech Republic.  This was the 4^th presentation and more to come.

Ambassador Bijan Sabet hosted the presentation of Mobile Outfitters, RAVE Restaurant Group/Pizza Inn, The Wendy’s Company, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts at the Beautiful Ambassador residence

Mr. Jamal Suboh – Director of Development and support at Mobile Outfitters, shows the best way to protect your mobile  

Veronika ( Lukesova) Novakova – present the Pizza Inn

Ms. Meg Tagodzinska – Developer Manager – Central & Eastern Europe at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts – the biggest Hotel chain worldwide, presents this biggest company and what kind of partners they are looking in the Czech Market

Wendy’s International – the 3^rd biggest burger chain worldwide, presents its company and the opportunities in the Czech Market.

The young fish-eating owl Ketupa Pelova can be easily observed at the age of three months in the aviary near the Penguin Pavilion. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The Prague Zoo is currently rearing a young fish-eating owl Ketupa Pelova. It was hatched here at the beginning of this year and after initial fluctuations in weight and occasional reluctance to eat, the bird is now vital and thriving. The Prague Zoo is therefore well on its way to breeding one of the largest living owls ever, as the first zoo in the world. In addition, the little “fish owl” is now back with its parents in the aviary next to the Penguin Pavilion. Visitors can thus see the extremely rare cub with their own eyes.

“In the fall, we kept both of our pairs of ketup Pels in indoor quarters so they could concentrate on nesting. Our efforts were rewarded by the nesting of one of the pairs. At the beginning of the year, we observed changes in the behavior of both adults, and we soon discovered a young one under them,” says bird curator Antonín Vaidl.

At first, the mother warmed and fed the young, so the parents were left with peace and also plenty of food. But just a few days later, the situation changed. “A week passed and unfortunately we found out that the chick had been kicked out of the nest. We also found him hypothermic, which is why we placed him in an incubator and proceeded to rear him in breeding care,” adds Vaidl. According to him, returning to the nest would be too risky.

Prague’s young ketupa Pelova is a significant addition on a global scale: the Prague Zoo is the only zoo that has managed to breed this rare species. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The cub was subsequently fed by hand with young mice and rats, and later with fish. Pelova’s ketupas belong to the so-called “fish” or “fishing owls”, whose food in the wild is almost 100% fish. The ketupa look out for their prey from perches low above the surface or search for it while wading through shallow water. They will not disdain even frogs, crustaceans, or a small crocodile.

At the end of winter, the Prague chick continued to willingly accept food and thrive, so at the end of March it was returned to the parents’ improvised nest cavity, where they could gradually get to know each other through the grate in the inlet opening. So far, it cannot be said that it was a complete “adoption by their own parents”, as was the case in the past at the Prague Zoo, for example, with the breeding of Javan grebes or last year with kea nesters, but a large dose of tolerance of the cub on the part of the parents is evident. This step is important for his socialization. Thanks to the return to the aviary, the cub is also easily visible from the visitor areas.

Pelovy’s ketupa chick (on the right in the photo) is characterized by light coloration and remnants of down feathers. Visitors can easily recognize him alongside his parents. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Prague Zoo has been breeding Pelovy ketups since 2019, when it acquired the two mentioned pairs from a specialized owl breeding center in Monticello, Italy. It thus became the only public institution in the world where this species can be seen. In nature, ketupa Pelovy inhabit sub-Saharan Africa. These are some of the largest owls in the world – in adulthood they can weigh up to two kilograms and have a wingspan of one and a half meters.

Affordable housing has the green light from the European Commission. Twenty years after joining the Union, the Czech Republic can finance affordable apartments from public sources for the first time.

Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš and the State Investment Support Fund negotiated with the European Commission the support of affordable housing in the Czech Republic from public funds. Thanks to this, the state can finance the creation of rental apartments with a lower than market rent, for example for young people under 35 or beneficial professions in the regions. Subsidies and favorable loans for affordable housing projects will be available to municipalities and private entities – already this year it will amount to approximately two billion crowns.

Until now, the state has financially supported the creation of social housing, which roughly 130,000 people in the Czech Republic can afford. Support for affordable housing, i.e. standard rental apartments even for the middle class, has not yet been possible. This was hindered by the lack of approval from the European Commission that it was in line with public aid rules. “Abroad, the affordable housing sector plays a key role in managing the housing crisis, but in our country, none of the previous governments even tried to negotiate it with the European Commission. In about a year, we managed to agree on everything necessary, and in the second half of the year, we launched the first program. About two million people in the Czech Republic meet the conditions for the target group,” said Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization and Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš.

As part of the so-called notification, the twenty-seven countries notify the European Commission of their intentions to support certain areas from public resources. They must prove that they will not disrupt the free market, or prove that the social benefit of public support outweighs the risks. Only then can the European Commission confirm that the specific plan complies with the rules and is compatible with the internal market. “The decision of the European Commission allows us to provide support to the affordable rental housing sector in the amount of twelve billion until 2030. For the first three years, we have secured funding from the National Recovery Plan. Municipalities and other legal entities can apply for the program. It will be a combination of subsidies and favorable loans, so the invested funds will be returned to the state and will support other housing projects in the future,” adds Daniel Ryšávka, director of the State Investment Support Fund (SFPI).

The costs of construction, renovation or purchase of available rental apartments will gradually be recovered from the rent. In the long term, this will remain below the market level of rental housing in the given location and of comparable quality. “We want there to be a decent alternative for people who, for various reasons, cannot afford or do not want their own housing. We will be happy if as many municipalities as possible apply for support – according to the survey, most of them are dissatisfied with their housing stock. At the same time, we tried to set everything up so that affordable housing is also interesting for the private sector,” Bartoš declared. Subsidized apartments will be, for example, for young families, teachers, health professionals and people who do not own real estate and do not belong to the top 20% of the population with the highest incomes.

The European Commission has previously approved the notification of affordable housing programs for example in Ireland or Sweden. “The example of Ireland shows that promoting affordable housing has positive effects on the market. At a time of high mortgage rates and falling demand for real estate, construction companies can focus more on affordable rental apartments. Thanks to this, there is no such sharp decline in overall construction during crises,” added Bartoš.

The support for affordable rental apartments is part of the broader reform of Housing for Life implemented by the MMR. Among other things, it also includes a new construction law or a draft law on support in housing. The department cooperates with the European Investment Bank and other institutions to find suitable affordable housing projects and sources of financing. It also offers municipalities financial support for the preparation of housing projects and related expertise directly in the regions.

Photographing Tartar sand boa was a challenge: it immediately disappeared into the sand. Photo Miroslav Bobek

The mystical olgoi-khorkhoi was once a great mystery. This is no longer the case; we know the truth about it. Now you can even come and see the animal, which used to be its archetype.

But first, let’s summarize the amount of information on olgoi-khorkhoi have been collected by various researchers. Here we are: It is supposed to resemble a large intestine filled by blood and most often it is referred to as a sand worm. After all, both is included in its Mongolian name, where “olgoi” means large intestine and “khorkhoi” means worm. The fact that both ends of olgoi-khorkhoi look the same supports these comparisons; it has no noticeable head or tail. Its dimensions are told to vary from a half to one-and-half metre and it is said to live in the sand dunes of Mongolian Gobi. There it is buried in the sand, but in June and July it appears on the surface. When moving, it does not slither forward but moves as if rolling to the side. It is extremely dangerous: It can kill a person on a distance of several metres. Perhaps it spews a poison, perhaps it generates an electric discharge. At the same time before attacking, it raises one end of the body and changes its colour.

The curator of reptiles Petr Velenský shows the head and the tail of Tartar sand boa at the same time. Photo Miroslav Bobek

The Russian palaeontologist and writer I. A. Yefremov, who got to know Mongolia very well, wrote in the 1940s about olgoi-khorkhoi: “It is a legend, but so widespread among the Gobi inhabitants, that this mysterious worm is in various regions described identically down to smallest details. It would lead one to believe that the core of the legend is true. It seems that there is indeed a strange creature still unknown to science living in the Gobi Desert – perhaps a relic of ancient inhabitants of Earth, extinct a long time ago.”

However, decades of exploration did not lead to any discovery of a creature unknown to science. And they could not.  Olgoi-khorkhoi was created by the superstition and fantasy of Mongolian herders, from a creature that they can meet only rarely and that is outside of their everyday experience – Tartar sand boa. It is this snake which corresponds to most of the characteristics of olgoi-khorkhoi, which I described in the opening paragraphs. The only exception is inflating a part of the body before an attack, changing colour and of course the ability to kill a person from a distance.

Tartar sand boa literary swims into the sand. Photo Miroslav Bobek

Tartar sand boa lives in Mongolia approximately in the same areas where olgoi-khorkhoi should occur, and like olgoi it appears mostly in the fullness of summer. Indeed, it moves in a peculiar way; it slips into a sand and disappears into it after a few waves. Males usually measure up to half-a-metre, and females usually don’t exceed 70 cm, but some individuals can reach a length of over a metre. Well, that is a real “worm”! The coloration of the Tartar sand boa is very variable, so with a bit of imagination it can also resemble a “large intestine filled by blood”. However, the most important thing is that the Tartar sand boa has a thick, cylindrical body, so with a brief survey it is hard to distinguish the head from the tail. It has to do not only with digging its way under the surface but also with defence. When threatened, it can hide its head and expose the tail to the enemy. Besides defecation it is also able to excrete strong-smelling cloacal secretions. There are no doubts! The correspondence with the descriptions of olgoi-khorkhoi is extraordinary!

After all, come and see the Tartar sand boa alias olgoi-khorkhoi with your own eyes. From today you can see it in the newly opened Gobi exhibit in Prague Zoo.

Written By: Miroslav Bobek

From 27 March the unique exhibition of the first artistic designs of Czechoslovak banknotes from the 1970s, the satirical Funny Money, and the life stories of contemporary banknotes will be open in the Visitor Center of the Czech National Bank (ČNB). The unique exhibition The World of Banknotes by Oldřich Kulhánek will be open to the public.

Entry will be free.

The exposition with many symbols and details thought out to the last point guides visitors through the banknote work of the Czech painter, graphic artist, and illustrator Oldřich Kulhánek. People will be able to familiarize themselves with the first designs of Czechoslovak banknotes, which the author created at the beginning of the 1970s. There will also be satirical Funny Money lithographs and money that is still used today.

“According to contemporary sources, Oldřich Kulhánek had a unique view of the world inspired by man and humanity. Because he was able to capture it artistically and render it in an original way, sometimes with a number of symbols, the current Czech banknotes are an absolutely unique combination of art and protective elements,” says Karina Kubelková, a member of the banking board of the Czech National Bank, adding: “An artistic design that honors Czech history and tradition, at the same time, it does not come at the expense of safety. On the contrary. It makes it possible to have a whole range of protective features on domestic currency.”

“During the processing of each banknote, Oldřich Kulhánek first familiarized himself in detail with the personality he was portraying,” points out CNB chief archivist and exhibition curator Jakub Kunert, adding: “He wanted each design to perfectly capture the life story of the artistically captured person.” Thanks to this, this Czech painter, graphic artist and illustrator became a true storyteller of Czech history, or rather the fates of important representatives of the Czech nation.”

The exhibition The World of Banknotes by Oldřich Kulhánek consists of several blocks. The first is devoted to the artistic personality of Oldřich Kulhánek. The second focuses on his early work from the early 1970s, which was never realized. They follow the 1990s, when this painter, graphic artist, and illustrator was chosen by the Czechoslovak State Bank to design new banknotes. After processing the two hundred kroner, there was an offer to create seven more banknotes, which later became the currency of the independent Czech Republic. Part of the exhibition concerns the motifs of contemporary Czech banknotes, and Kulhánk’s unique view of currency, including foreign currency, is represented by the exhibition block of satirical lithographs Funny Money.

Exhibition “The World of Oldřich Kulhánek’s Banknotes”

 From March 27, 2024, Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Where: CNB Visitor Center, Na Příkopě 28, Prague 1

Entry is for free.

A total of 56% of Czechs plan to spend their spring vacation in their country this year. Most often in the South Bohemian and Central Bohemian regions. They then stay at the place of residence for an average of six days. They envision rest with lighter sports activities and visiting cultural monuments as the main content of their free time. On average, they are going to spend 6,713 crowns per person for the entire period. 42% of Czechs are planning to go abroad in the spring. On the contrary, roughly a third of Czechs do not plan on spring vacation at all. This follows from the current survey of the Czech Tourism Office – CzechTourism.

The share of those who want to enjoy the spring holiday in the Czech Republic fell by two percentage points in a year-on-year comparison. The length of domestic leave was slightly shortened, by one and a half days, while planned expenses increased by 565 crowns. Almost half of those interviewed then prefer a spring vacation as part of a long weekend and in the company of family.

“The main reason why Czechs do not plan a spring vacation in their country is the fact that they are simply not in the habit of going there. And they expect more holidays in the summer. This is related to the second factor that affects the decision of Czechs to go abroad – finances. If they don’t have enough, they’d rather save up for a longer vacation in the coming season. Nevertheless, we can state that compared to last year, the share of those who decided to spend their holiday abroad in the spring has increased, from the original 37% to the current 42%,” sums up the director of the Czech Tourism Office – CzechTourism, František Reismüller, and adds: “In this respect the new night train line of the European Sleeper company, which runs from Brussels to Prague and back without a single transfer, is definitely worth mentioning. It connects four countries and four European capitals on one route. Of course, it is interesting not only from the point of view of the Czechs’ plans, but also as an alternative transport option for foreigners heading to the Czech Republic.”

The trend is rest with lighter sports activities

A third of people prefer a relaxing stay with lighter sports activities. A total of 17% of people head for cultural monuments and 16% of travelers are followers of passive relaxation. As part of the active nature of the holiday, hiking (68%) and easy walks (54%) are popular. Popular activities include cycling with the family (24%) or water sports (16%). More than half of respondents are inspired by tips and recommendations from friends or family, and 40% choose a destination based on a map with tourist attractions.

“Hiking is one of the most popular outdoor activities actively practiced by Czechs. It is therefore no surprise that they also want to spend their holidays in this way. We have the best tourist signage in the world. Travelers to and around the Czech Republic can enjoy, among other things, over 44 thousand km of hiking trails and 40 thousand km of road cycling routes. In recent years, we have observed a growing trend in the case of long-distance walking routes, in which the Czech Republic is not lagging behind when requested. Domestic and foreign tourists can find quality products here, such as the hiking adventure along Hřebenovce through the Czech Switzerland or the Lužnice trail, which is proud of the award It is also worth mentioning the Czech Trail, which has already been visited by over a hundred thousand people, and its growing popularity is also confirmed by the viewership figures of the program of the same name on ČT 2. And last but not least, active tourism enthusiasts will also find something to do in the Czech Republic, and at the same time cultural and gastronomic experiences. You just have to choose from a wide range of thematic walking routes, such as the Krkonoše beer trail, the unique glass trail in the north of Bohemia, the Křišťálové údolí or the wine trails in South Moravia and Slovakia,” sums up the active tourism product manager of the Czech Tourism Office, CzechTourism Antonín Novak.

Czechs will pay more for spring vacation this year, they mainly want to live in boarding houses

Czechs plan to spend 565 crowns more than last year on their spring vacation, an average of 6,713 crowns per person. The biggest part of the expenses will be for accommodation (46%), another important item is meals in restaurants (18%) and 11% of expenses they want to spend on services such as tickets, culture, museums or monuments.

Half of the people planning a spring vacation in the Czech Republic stay in a boarding house. Another often preferred type of accommodation is higher category hotels (30%) and free private accommodation (20%). When choosing accommodation for a spring holiday in the Czech Republic, the most important factors for respondents are price (90%), own experience (89%) and range and quality of services (85%). Almost a third of those surveyed will go to the same or a familiar place, and almost half will then visit a destination they have not been to before. They most often get to the place by car or motorbike. One of the guides when deciding where to go is also the places where a movie, fairy tale or series was filmed. In the last five years, half of the tourists in the Czech Republic decided to visit film locations.

More Czechs will go abroad this spring than last year

42% of Czechs are planning a spring vacation abroad, which represents a year-on-year increase of 5 pp. Especially younger people under 29 (54%) go abroad. With increasing age, the willingness to travel a longer distance decreases. For example, in the category over 75 years old, only 35% of respondents choose this option of spring vacation. The main reason is the fact that they simply don’t go abroad at this time of year (56%) and also the lack of finances (47%).

Most Czechs also spend Easter in the country

The above data also confirm the Czechs’ plans for this year’s Easter holidays. Most Czechs will spend it in their own country, both for financial and time reasons. According to the data currently available to CzechTourism, which are based on the DataRhymes analysis, almost 59% of accommodation is booked throughout the Czech Republic through the largest booking platform Booking.com. Most of them in Prague, in the Karlovy Vary, Zlín and South Moravian regions. For comparison, last year people booked over 70% of accommodation for Easter in the Czech Republic, but it should be noted that, on the one hand, the Easter holidays did not fall until the second weekend of April in 2023, and on the other hand, the number for this year may still change before Easter.

“If we look directly at specific destinations, then this year people are most often heading to Český Švýcarsk, Mách region, Broumovské, Plzeň and West Bohemian spas for Easter this year. On average, they pay 2,993 crowns for accommodation during Easter. Most of it in Prague,” summarizes Petr Janeček, head of the Tourism Institute of the Czech Tourism Center – CzechTourism, adding: “For this year, we are working with a prediction of over 66%, of which the highest occupancy during Easter should be in Prague, Ústí, Zlín and South Moravia region.”

The travel of domestic tourists has come to the fore more and more in recent years. In 2013, the ratio of domestic and foreign tourists staying in mass accommodation facilities in the Czech Republic was almost the same. Last year, this share was almost 60 to 40 (57% and 43%) in favor of domestic tourists.

The Gobi exhibition (not only) for Převalský’s horses was opened by the Prague Zoo on Saturday. During the coming weekend, those interested can get to know it during special guided tours, which start at 2 p.m. both days at the top station of the cable car. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The Easter weekend at the Prague Zoo will offer a treasure hunt, free guided tours of the new Gobi exhibit, and an excursion to the Bird Wetlands, which a few days ago were inhabited by the rarest ducks in the world, the impressive Parana guinea pigs.

There will also be a special meeting with the three-month-old female gorilla Mobi on both weekend days.

On Easter Monday, visitors can enjoy a themed program with more than twenty species of animals across the zoo, while some encounters are new this year – for example, feeding manulas or encounters with the popular capybara. There will also be sea lion training at Easter or egg-eater feeding.

On Monday, April 1, the April Fool’s Day telephone line for Mr. Hippo will also be in operation. The full program for the upcoming long weekend can be found below.

A new species at the Prague Zoo are the charismatic desert cats. Their commented feeding at 15.30 is therefore also a novelty of the just started main season. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

March 29: Good Friday at Prague Zoo

On Good Friday, according to legend, mountains and rocks open up and release their treasures. Come to the zoo to play Family Tracker. A reward awaits the successful solver!

10.00 – 16.00 Treasure hunt

Fun and knowledge for the whole family with a reward at the end.

10.00 – 16.00 Commented feeding and meetings

The complete schedule of Friday meetings and feeding can be found here.

You can get to know the rarest ducks in the world, the Paraná guinea pigs, which you can only see outside of Brazil at the Prague Zoo during extraordinary guided walks. On Saturday and Sunday, they will start at 11 a.m. at the cross-country radar between the Animal and Reptile Pavilion and the Bird Wetlands. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

March 30 and March 31: Easter weekend at the Prague Zoo

Explore all the spring news of the Prague Zoo!

11.00 Excursion to the world’s rarest ducks, the Paran guinea fowl

Go on a guided walk through the Bird Wetlands with a guide.

meet the guide at the cross-country radar

14.00 Expedition to Gobi

Explore the newly opened exhibition complex (not only) for Převalský’s horses.

meeting with the guide at the top station of the cable car

16.00 How is the little Mobi doing in the Dja Reservation

Enjoy the sight of the almost three-month-old female gorilla and find out what’s new with her.

meet the guide at the Wandering bus before entering the Dja Reserve

10.00 – 16.00 Commented feeding and meetings

The complete schedule of weekend meetings and feeding can be found here.

Easter feeding of more than two dozen animal species awaits Prague Zoo visitors throughout Easter Monday. People will find out how Wagner’s bakers handle eggs, for example, at their paddock at 1 p.m. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

April 1: Easter Monday at the Prague Zoo

Easter guided feeding and meeting with animals across the Prague Zoo grounds.

• 10.00 meeting at the raptors – vulture aviaries at the southern entrance
• 10.00 a.m. meeting with amphibious hippos – Hippo Pavilion
• 10.30 feeding of Cape grebes – Africký dům
• 10.30 feeding of giant and red-necked kangaroos – Darwin Crater
• 11.00 meeting at the capybara – enclosure of capybaras and anteaters in the lower part of the zoo
• 11.00 feeding of penguins and steamer ducks – Penguin Pavilion
• 11.00 meeting with the northern Nubian giraffes – African House
• 12.00 meeting with lowland gorillas – Méfou Center
• 12.00 meeting with lowland gorillas – Dja Reserve
• 12.30 feeding of the African egg-eater – Africa up close
• 13.00 meeting with the pink flamingos – exhibition in the lower part of the zoo next to the gibbons
• 13.00 feeding of Wagner’s peccaries – Plains
• 1.30 p.m. demonstration of South African sea lion training – sea lion pool in the lower part of the zoo
• 14.00 meeting with common wombats – Darwin Crater
• 14.00 meeting at the horses of Převalský – new Gobi exhibition at the upper station of the cable car
• 2:30 p.m. meeting with Indian elephants – view of the Valley of Elephants opposite the wolves
• 2.30 p.m. lemur feeding – Lemur Island
• 15.00 meeting with lowland gorillas – Dja Reserve and Méfou Center
• 15.15 meeting with water birds – Bird Wetlands
• 3:30 p.m. manula feeding – new Gobi exhibition at the upper station of the cable car
• 16.00 meeting at the bear-like devils – Darwin’s Crater

The training and feeding of South African sea lions is very popular among visitors to the Prague Zoo. On Easter Monday at 1:30 p.m., the sea lions will also receive a special Easter treat – fish frozen in the shape of eggs. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

April 1: Call the hippo to the Prague Zoo

Those interested can call Mr. Hroch on the special April Fool’s line at 296 112 300 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Offering more diverse experiences and investing in talented people will play a key role in helping mountain areas grow tourism in a sustainable and responsible manner.

The 12th World Congress on Snow, Mountain and Wellness Tourism (20-21 March 2024, Andorra) identified key challenges, among them climate change and evolving consumer trends, while recognizing the role tourism can play in the protection of the fragile mountain ecosystem, the building of resilience for mountain communities, and the preservation of the local heritage.

Five Years of Action

Held in the framework of the United Nation’s Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions, the Congress focused on medical and wellness tourism, sustainability, the promotion of premium segments in mountain areas, emerging tourism products and the attraction and retention of human talent.

Also on the agenda was ensuring the importance of measuring the flow of visitors to mountains, representing the vital step towards unlocking the potential of the sector, promoting evidence based policies and ensure its sustainable management, according to a UN Tourism report, jointly developed with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Mountain Partnership (MP) presented at the event.

Opening the Congress, Prime Minister, Xavier Espot, stated: “Tourism in Andorra has recovered pre-pandemic numbers, with more than 9 million tourists and 12 million overnight stays in 2023. However, it is important to seek a balance that ensures environmental continuity and the well-being of people, moving towards a model based on sustainability to find the balance between quantity and quality. Tourism should not be perceived as a problem, but as part of the solutions to the great challenges that the future brings, because a tourism that is respectful of nature, culture and society guarantees resources for the future.”

Natalia Bayona, Executive Director at UN Tourism, recalled that “Tourism is a lifeline for many communities in mountain regions. At the same time, it can play a leading role in protecting these important ecosystems. It can provide new opportunities for conservation and drive the development of local communities. I trust that this Congress will help us move towards a better, more innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth for people and planet.”

High-level panel looks into polices for mountain tourism development

A high-level panel on policies that promote diversification, innovation and sustainability for mountain destinations gathered Jordi Torres Falcó, Minister of Tourism and Commerce of Andorra, Rosana Morillo Rodriguez, Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain, and Alessandra Priante, President of the Italian National Tourism Board (ENIT). Participants stressed the importance of creating a strong framework that aligns all related stakeholders towards a common vision for the development of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive mountain tourism that benefits its communities directly.

Exploring health tourism for mountain development

As an outcome of the 2022 edition, the 2024 Congress included a new focus on health (medical and wellness) tourism, a segment where mountains can offer important added value and have a competitive advantage. This reflects the shift to diversify mountain tourism products, create demand all year around and address the demand of today’s tourist.

Experiences in this segment were presented by speakers such as Csilla Mezősi, Secretary-General of the European Spas Association, Lászlo Puczko, CEO of Health Tourism Worldwide, Joan Muro, President of the Health Tourism Association of Andorra Health Destination and Emma Haefeli, Marketing Director of CHENOT GROUP (Switzerland).

Tourism for rural development

Recalling how tourism can be a driver of rural development, promoting the valorisation and preservation of local culture and values of mountain communities, the Congress also counted with the participation of representatives from three Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism: Saas-Fee of the Swiss region of Valais (BTV in 2021), St. Anton am Arlberg of Austria (BTV 2023) and Ordino of Andorra (BTV in 2023). These villages presented how they stand out in addressing seasonality by diversifying tourism products in an innovative and sustainable manner.

Over 300 participants from 14 countries gathered in Andorra, with many also joining via livestreaming. Speakers included, among others, representatives from Slow Food Carinthia in Austria, National Geographic, l’Agence des Pyrénées, the Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative, Pic du Midi, the Creative Tourism Network, Mabrian (Spain), Horwath HTL, as well as leading education institutions such as CETT Barcelona and the Bella Vista Institute of Higher Education of Switzerland.

Minister of Tourism and Commerce of Andorra, Jordi Torres Falcó, concluded: “This year we have introduced a new segment, wellness, demonstrating that in the tourism sector we evolve and adapt to new tourism trends. We also face the need to continue working to advance the Congress, allowing us to respond to the needs of the sector, providing knowledge and tools to improve the mountain tourism offer and, at the same time, become a laboratory where we can delve deeper into topics as varied as the integration of tourism in local communities, or education and training”.

Source : UN Tourism

Four countries and four European capitals on one route. They are newly connected by the extended night train line of the European Sleeper company leading from Brussels to Prague. From March 26, 2024, people can travel three times a week from Belgium to the Czech Republic and back. The journey will take approximately fifteen hours. New stops have been added, in Dresden, Bad Schandau, Děčín, Ústí nad Labem and Prague. People can also reach us from Paris or London with a single transfer in Brussels

Less than ten months after the launch of the direct train line from Brussels to Berlin, the first passengers can ride all the way to Prague.

The first connection left the Belgian capital on Monday, March 25, 2024. He will make his return trip a day later. It will travel in each direction three times a week and will stop at the stations Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, Bad Schandau, Děčín, Ústí nad Labem and Prague.

The train will depart from the capital of the Czech Republic every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 6:04 p.m. It will arrive in Brussels the following day at 10:27 a.m. The price of tickets with a seat starts at 49 euros in a seat section and 79 euros per bed in a shared bed section.

Trains offer an attractive alternative to other modes of transport and produce 7-10 times less emissions than, for example, airplanes. Another significant advantage of night trains is their ability to convert long distances into a mere overnight journey, allowing passengers to travel efficiently while sleeping. A person arrives at the destination in the morning rested and refreshed and has the whole day at his disposal. The price of the ticket includes accommodation, so the night train saves money on the hotel. Another advantage and saving of time and money also stems from the fact that the train usually stops right in the center of cities. Therefore, it is not necessary to travel frequently to and from the airport.

“The history of railway transport in the Czech Republic dates back to the 1820s. It serves us now and has huge potential for the future. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but thanks to its dense rail network, it offers many options for travel. You can get practically anywhere by train. In addition, this line has another added value – through it we can support tourism in the regions much better. The set also includes a cycle wagon and will stop in Děčín and Ústí nad Labem, among others. In practice, this means that cyclists and hiking enthusiasts do not have to go all the way to Prague. They can enjoy, for example, a cycling trip on the Elbe trail or a walking adventure through Hřebenovce through Czech Switzerland, the gateway to which is the city of Děčín,” says František Reismüller, director of the Czech Tourism Office – CzechTourism, adding: “Due to the size of the wagons, this mode of transport also offers much more space, and thus comfort. As part of our mission, we certainly want to continue to support similar projects that connect the modern world and strengthen the sustainability of tourism both in the Czech Republic and across Europe.”

“On the occasion of the first run of the night train, we brought representatives of the Dutch and Belgian media and fourteen Belgian travel agencies that specialize in selling train travel or are considering including this product in their offer. In addition to Prague, which is of course still the biggest attraction, we presented them with Pardubice and Mělník as alternative options for a trip by train from the capital. The next press trip will take place in May, when we will show its participants how tourists can spend an active vacation in the Ústí Region. Travelers from the Netherlands and Belgium often look for this type of vacation. For example, roughly 7% of Belgians and almost 11% of Dutch people who come to the country spend it on bicycles,” adds Petra Palečková, director of the foreign representation of CzechTourism Benelux.

Tourists from Belgium and the Netherlands are among the foreign visitors who come to the Czech Republic in greater numbers. Last year, a record 261,820 Dutch people chose the country as their holiday destination, about 5 pp more than in 2019. On average, they spent 3.73 days here, and the reason for their trip was mainly recreation. A total of 62% of them went to Prague. When it comes to accommodation, they mainly chose some of the collective accommodation facilities.

Compared to the pre-covid period, the number of Belgians fell by 14 p.p., and a total of 94,034 arrived. On the contrary, the length of their stay increased slightly. On average, they spent almost four days in the Czech Republic. Like the Dutch, they came to the country mainly for recreation and lived in one of the collective accommodation facilities. Again, they most often headed to the capital, with 67% of them choosing it as their destination.

Both Dutch (42%) and Belgians (69%) most often arrive in the Czech Republic by plane. The second most popular means for tourists from the Netherlands (39%) and Belgium (22%) is a car or motorbike. As another mode of transport, the Dutch (13%) and Belgians (4%) choose a motorhome, and the same two percent use the train when traveling to the Czech Republic.

European Sleeper is not a traditional carrier. The organization was founded in the Netherlands as a cooperative that wants to restore night trains. Small investors supported the start of the company with half a million euros. In the next round, membership shares in European Sleeper were sold for 2 million euros and the number of members grew to 3,500. This created a community of fans of night trains, which is actively involved in the cooperative’s activities. In the following years, it plans to launch a new line connecting Amsterdam, Brussels, and Barcelona.

H.E. Ms. Maria-Antoaneta Barta, Ambassador of Romania, organized “Sous le ciel de Prague” – an exceptional concert in an unforgettable atmosphere: Medeea Marinescu and Emy Dragoï – Acordeon Jazz performed at Café Lucerna, one of the emblematic places of the Czech capital, on the evening of March 15, 2024, chansonettes and traditional Romanian songs, in the concert dedicated by the Embassy of Romania to the Francophonie Days.

The show, organized with the support of ICR Prague, impressed the large audience present. We thank the artists for a unique concert, which will remain in the memory of the cultural events in Prague.

On the occasion of Saint Patric and National Day of Ireland , H.E. Mr. Alan GIBBONS – Ambassador Ireland host a reception at Kaiserstejnsky palac.

In front of many Ambassadors, government officials, members of the Czech Parliament and Senate, and distinguished guests, H.E. Mr. Alan GIBBONS, Mr. Martin Dvořák – Minister for European Affairs greeted the guests.

Here are selected sections of the Ambassador and the minister’s speech.

The photography exhibition “Behind the Curtain” by Jindrich Svatek presents a part of his works created between 1983 and 1991. Capturing the Prague Jewish community, during the totalitarian regime, when all religious communities were under the scrutiny of the State security.

The photographs were limited to events when, according to Jewish religious law were allowed. The photographs capture occasions such as weddings, funerals, Hanukka, and Purim parties or services on weekdays or Sundays.

The result is a remarkable historical document and a collection of artistically high-quality photographs.

We appreciate the support of the Jewish community of Prague and Druckvo, splo. S.r.o that make this exhibition possible.

The exhibition is open till 29.5.2024 at Jeruzalémská Synagogue – Jeruzalémská 1310/7, Prague 1

Every day from 10 am to 5 pm, except Saturdays and Jewish Holidays.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, took part in the 9^th international conference of heads of parliaments of the countries of the Danube Region in Vienna. The main topic of the meeting was regional security. According to the Speaker of the Chamber, the participants can contribute to this in particular by supporting Ukraine, Moldova, and the policy of gradual enlargement of the EU to the countries of the Western Balkans.

Another topic discussed was the connection between education and the effective defense of democratic values and institutions.

“The security of the Danube will depend on the development of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Moldova also fears a similar development as there. It is therefore necessary to prevent the Russian aggressor in his imperialist efforts through the coordinated action of the international community.

The best way to achieve this is to persevere in supporting both tested countries and at the same time work on the gradual expansion of the European Union to the states of the Western Balkans,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, during the joint meeting.

In addition to the key issue of regional security, the international conference in the Austrian capital was also focused on the topic of education in connection with democratic governance, the effective defense of the institutions of the modern rule of law, and liberal values.

“The Russian-led disinformation campaigns have been threatening the internal cohesion of the Danubian states for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary to further strengthen our resilience and keep in mind the diversity of threats we face. I am convinced that the EU’s military and civilian missions aimed at solving hybrid threats are, in this regard, very effective tools for our active support of countries such as Ukraine, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” added the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

Part of the European Union’s Strategy for the Danube River is EU member and non-member states whose territories extend into the Danube River basin. Austria currently chairs the group.

The opening of the new Mongolian Gobi exhibition and the opening of the 93rd main season of the Prague Zoo will be attended by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and the Minister of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia, Bat-Erdene Bat-Ulzii, on Saturday, March 23.

The festive event will start at 1 pm at the top station of the cable car.

Prague Zoo will open the long-awaited exhibition of Mongolian fauna called Gobi. In it, Převalský’s iconic horses will find a home, returning to the Troy area after three years. Visitors can also look forward to manulas, who have earned the nickname “the grumpiest cat in the world”, a number of other interesting mammals and reptiles, as well as the mythical Olgoi chorchoi. The opening of the Gobi will take place at 1 pm near the cable car’s upper station, preceded by the opening ceremony of the main season at 11 am at the Education Centre, which will traditionally be attended by famous faces. The varied program will conclude at 3 pm with the presentation of the world’s rarest ducks, Paran’s guinea fowls, near the boatbill exhibition in the Bird Wetlands.

Visitors will enjoy live music, a festive parade, and free face painting for children.

From Saturday, the Prague Zoo will also extend its opening hours – its gates will not close until 6 p.m.

Prague Easter Markets are open daily from 16.3.2024 to 7.4.2024, from 10 am till 10 pm.

The best known market is at the Old Town Square – Producers, craftsmen, and sellers offer typical Easter goods and gifts at dozens of decorated stands. Several types of eggs will be available to buy. In addition to blown eggs, also wooden and wire ones. There will also be ceramics with spring flowers and typical young animals, as well as tablecloths and blankets with flower motifs.

The center of events at the market is a traditionally decorated birch tree, under which there is a cultural program in the afternoon. Professional and amateur song and dance ensembles will appear here, as will national and folk groups from various parts of the Czech Republic and other countries.

The unmistakable magic of the Easter holidays is also created by special foods. Visitors will enjoy popular gingerbread or Czech sausages.

and Wenceslas Square offers a wide range of traditional Easter goods – hand-painted eggs, Easter bunnies and chickens, whips, Easter pastries (hot cross buns, Judas buns, lamb-shaped pastries), Easter decorations, candles, hand-made products, wooden toys, products made from twigs.

The smell of traditional hot foods and drinks, the sale and demonstration of crafts before your eyes – all this helps create an atmosphere that you certainly won’t want to miss.

The latest trends in travel, the current preferences of tourists, or activities of the Czech Republic to support tourism. This is just a small list of what will be offered at one of the largest domestic tourism trade fairs, HOLIDAY WORLD & REGION WORLD, at the exhibition center in Prague’s Letňany, which starts on 15.3.2024. It offers presentations by more than three hundred exhibitors from 24 countries.

Visitors to this year’s 32nd year of the fair will find in one place a wide portfolio of domestic and foreign exhibitors, new and popular destinations across the continents, or tourist pearls of the Czech Republic. Experts and the general public can look forward to the accompanying program.

Professional activities are also a traditional and inherent part of the fair. Including the 12th annual Tourism Forum, organized by the Czech Tourism Center – CzechTourism.

The Women’s Ambassadors in Prague organized a unique exhibition to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024.

Photo portraits of all 18 women ambassadors in Prague.

The photographer is US Ambassador H.E. Mr. Bijan Sabet, with stories by H.E. Ms. Martina Mlinarevic – Ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina, and designed by Ms. Amila Hrustic Batovanja –  a Creative woman from Bosnia & Herzegovina living in Prague.

At this event also participate a group of  Ukrainian girls supported by Unicef.

This exhibition will be on display in public spaces to encourage and give examples to young girls to fulfill their dreams.

Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Mrs. Antoaneta Barta – Ambassador of Romania in Prague, who hosts the exhibition at the beautiful Romania Embassy.

Of the US Ambassador H.E. Mr. Bijan Sabet – the Photographer and of H.E. Ms. Martina Mlinarevic – Ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Photo By: Miroslav Bobek

Today, on Saturday, February 10, we published the name of the gorilla female, born in Prague Zoo at the very beginning of this year. Sure, I will write it at the end of this text, but first about selecting the name. In fact, this time we proceeded in a completely unconventional way. We asked the children from Cameroonian town Somalomo, where our educational project Wandering bus is based, for a basic set of proposals. Then in the zoo we selected ten names from this set and in the end the Czech public decided.

We received a total of 67 suggested names from Somalomo. The truth is that they didn’t come only from children, as we had originally imagined, but the other part of the assignment, namely that the suggestions would be in the local Badwe’e dialect of the Koonzime language, had already been fulfilled. After all, in this dialect our gorilla fairy tales with the main character Moja, the grandmother of the recently born baby, were published as the very first bound book.

When reading the suggestions coming from the edge of the Dja Biosphere Reserve I realized that it was quite an impressive insight into the local perception of the world. The very first name, Koh’Eloo’h, caught my attention. I even pushed it through to the first ten; it had no chance to win, but it carried a remarkable message. Koh’Eloo’h is a “transitional liana” symbolizing crossing a river, separating the hostile world, from which people are fleeing, from the new world, where people settle permanently… In contrast, the proposal Nzing quite surprised me at the first moment. It means the tin roof of a house. But then I realized that living under a tin roof is in the Dja area a symbol of prosperity, and the name Nzing either refers to the gorilla house or is supposed to help its wearer to reach a higher standard of living.

A total of 44,601 people voted on iDnes.cz in the first round for the ten suggestions which we selected. They sent three names to the final “shootout”:

1. Mobi, which means “heiress” (or also “successor”). It was proposed by the twenty-year-old high school student in Somalomo Philone Mamkobene.
2. Ekiba, meaning “thanks” submitted by the eleven-year-old Somalomo grammar school student Paméla Imelda Meva’a Ndoum.
3. Mosâmom, the name with probably the strongest drive, meaning “the one, whose birth means end of the war between people and animals”. This mane originates from the wise chief of Somalomo township, 82 year old Georges Benjamin Mampomo.

29,981 people then decided between Mobi, Ekiba and Mosâmom. And I dare say they made a very good decision – although any of the three last options would be very good choice. However, the winner is Mobi!

By Miroslav Bobek, Director of Prague Zoo

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, ended her three-day working trip through the South Caucasus in Azerbaijan. In Baku, she discussed mutual Czech-Azerbaijani interparliamentary and business cooperation with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sahiba Gafarová. She then honored the memory of the victims of Soviet repression in Baku’s Alley of Martyrs.

“The president and I followed up on our joint conversation from last December in Prague. However, the parliaments of our countries are united not only by cooperation at the highest level but also at the level of inter-parliamentary groups of friends. In this regard, our legislators are even one of the most active groups of all,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

In addition, the year before last saw the signing of a memorandum on the Czech-Azerbaijani strategic partnership in the field of energy. Last year, when both countries commemorated the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the first joint meeting of the working group took place on this topic.

“At the end of our meeting, I wished Madam Speaker good luck in organizing the COP 29 UN Conference on Climate Change. This year it will be held in the capital of Azerbaijan. The topic of global climate change naturally also unites us. At the same time, it presents us with a difficult challenge that can only be met through a coordinated global effort. We need to take care of a prosperous common future today,” added the speaker of the Chamber of Commerce, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The speaker of the chamber also discussed with her partners the situation in the South Caucasus region and the possibilities of resolving disputes between the two countries visited. “A stable and prosperous South Caucasus is in the interest of the Czech Republic. Russia has always benefited from the disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the long run. This is definitely not in our interest and we are trying to use good relations with both countries to ease the tension. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan appreciate that it was precisely in Prague during the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU that a breakthrough meeting took place between them. I firmly believe that the long-standing conflict will soon be put to an end,” the chairwoman added.

As part of the program, the speaker also honored the memory of the victims of the bloody Soviet repression by symbolically laying flowers in Baku’s Alley of Martyrs.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, visited Armenia at the head of a parliamentary delegation.

In Yerevan, she held talks with her counterpart Alen Simonyan, Prime Minister Nikola Pashinyan and President Vahagn Khachaturyan. She also visited the EU monitoring mission at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, where Czech observers also operate. The parliamentary delegation was also accompanied by a business mission and university representatives. From Armenia, the delegation continues to neighboring Azerbaijan.

“We have long-term cooperation with Armenia and support its pro-European orientation. A political turn has recently begun to take place in Yerevan in connection with the growing realization that the Russian Federation represents an extremely unreliable partner. We support Armenia not only within the framework of the Eastern Partnership but also, for example, with bilateral projects to strengthen civil society,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

As part of the work program, the parliamentary delegation also visited the EU civilian monitoring mission on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. 6 Czech observers are currently working in the area there.

“In the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, we support the mediation role of the European Union. We are discussing with partners from both sides of the dispute how the EU and our country can concretely contribute to the most sustainable peace and prosperity. From our point of view, it is clear that only Putin’s Russia benefits from the mutual disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” added the speaker of the House of Representatives, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The parliamentary delegation, made up of MPs from across the political spectrum, is also accompanied by representatives of the National Museum, Charles University, CTU, and several IT companies. They intend to deepen the already functioning Czech-Armenian business cooperation or to penetrate promising Caucasian markets.

“It is in the field of IT that Armenia has recently gained a significant profile, and interesting new opportunities are being created here for our companies. That is why a business forum was also held at the Yerevan Technology Center. There is also very active cooperation between the Czech Republic and Armenia in the field of culture and education. For the purpose of its further development, a memorandum was concluded between the National Museum and the Armenian Historical Museum,” concluded chairwoman Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The delegation will immediately continue its work program in neighboring Azerbaijan, where its members will, among other things, meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sahiba Gafarova.

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 the same time to practically inform employees and members of the House of Commons about related preventive measures. This year, special emphasis is placed on comparing the situation of oncology treatment in individual Czech regions.

Employees and elected legislators of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic have the opportunity to visit the second year of the event called the Chamber of Deputies against Cancer in the Chamber of State Acts. The event, organized by the Voice of Oncology Patients, aims to remind people about prevention, screening programs, and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases.

“Up to 28,000 people die of oncological diseases in our country every year. As we unfortunately see, this disease does not escape anyone. Often also due to neglected prevention. We believe that by continuing the House of Representatives campaign against cancer, we can contribute not only to the necessary awareness but also to increased attention paid to prevention,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The event, which takes place as part of the recent World Cancer Day, is organized by patient and support non-profit organizations united in the Voice of Oncology Patients association. This year, the event focuses on informing about the situation of oncological treatment and involving citizens in screening programs in individual regions. Until Friday, February 9, roll-ups with data will be displayed in the premises of the Chamber of Deputies, and members of the Voice of Oncology Patients will be available on-site for questions, education, and a demonstration of breast and testicle self-examination.

“It is a sad truth that every third citizen of our country will encounter an oncological disease. The aim of our activities is therefore to spread awareness and information about effective methods of prevention and at the same time focus our professional work based on scientifically verified data from individual domestic regions,” added Petra Adámková, chairwoman of the Voice of Oncology Patients Committee.

The event was sponsored again this year by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Minister of Health of the Government of the Czech Republic Vlastimil Válek and the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Health Zdenka Němečková Crkvenjaš. “Citizens’ awareness and active prevention is an essential tool in the fight against cancer, because if cancer is detected at an early stage, treatment usually has a greater chance of success and can significantly increase the patient’s quality of life. In the Czech Republic, we have one of the most generous offers of screening programs in the world, and we continue to strengthen it. And patient organizations have an irreplaceable role in the fight against cancer, for which I thank them,” added Health Minister Vlastimil Válek.

“A revolution in medicine. This is what has been going on for the last ten years in the field of cancer treatment of almost all types. I know from my experience that a diagnosis of melanoma, i.e. skin cancer, was almost certainly a death sentence 25 years ago. This is no longer the case today. And colleagues in other fields are in a similar situation. Even a four-centimeter lung tumor does not have to mean a complete disaster. In general, previously hopeless cases survive for many years. However, one fundamental and important thing applies to the treatment of any cancer. The earlier the disease appears, the greater the patient’s chance of treatment and recovery. Therefore, one of the most important parts of treatment is prevention. Therefore, please get yourself examined according to the doctors’ recommendations. You might save your life by doing so,” concluded Zdenka Němečková Crkvenjaš, chairwoman of the parliamentary health committee.

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 local accommodation facilities. Overall, the number of tourists who went to the Czech Republic exceeded 22 million last year, an increase of 13.5% year-on-year. In general data, tourism is thus returning to pre-pandemic numbers. The share of Czech and foreign tourists is also gradually reversing.

During the whole of last year, Germans (2,307,282, year-on-year + 25%), Slovaks (875,742, year-on-year + 12%), and Poles (762,112, year-on-year + 24%) made decisions for the local region. The “jumpers of the year” are the citizens of Taiwan (a Chinese province), who came to the Czech Republic by 931% more than in 2022 (a total of 142,136) and South Korea (year-on-year increase of 250%, a total of 234,810 people ). More than 100% increase is also in the case of visitors from China, Japan, Thailand, or perhaps New Zealand or Australia. The most frequent destination was Prague, the South Bohemian and South Moravian regions.

“The total number of tourists who stayed in mass accommodation facilities in the Czech Republic increased year-on-year. This brings us to pre-covid data. But what has changed is the ratio of foreigners and locals. While in 2019 domestic tourists made up 50.5% of the total number of guests staying, last year it was already 56.7%. At the same time, it is precisely foreigners who spend more than residents on trips to and around the Czech Republic. Last year, citizens of Germany, Slovakia, Poland, the USA and Great Britain chose the Czech Republic as their holiday destination most often. We will focus our biggest campaign this year not only on them, but also on other markets selected using an exact method according to their creditworthiness. Through it, we want to arouse interest in new segments and products and attract more foreigners to us,” sums up František Reismüller, director of the Czech Tourism Headquarters – CzechTourism, and adds: “Tourism significantly helps the domestic economy, before Covid it accounted for 3% of our country’s GDP. So it is worth investing in it. And in this regard, it is certainly worth mentioning that we can strengthen the visibility of the Czech Republic abroad and at domestic events thanks to the fact that we managed to negotiate an increase in the budget for tourism by 27 million crowns compared to 2023. We currently have CZK 400 million available for these activities, and I would like to thank the Ministry for Regional Development for that.”

In the 4th quarter, a total of 4,658,434 guests stayed in mass accommodation facilities. 8% more than in the same period of 2022. Foreign (2,332,309 persons, 50.1%) and domestic guests (2,326,125 persons, 49.9%) participated in a similar proportion. Compared to 2019, 11% more residents traveled around the Czech Republic, 10% fewer foreigners. Citizens of Germany (542,308, year-on-year +6%), Slovakia (202,860, year-on-year +5%), the United Kingdom (135,146, +39%), Poland (130,754, year-on-year + 5%) and the USA (126,116, year-on-year +29%).

In the 4th quarter of 2023, the most tourists stayed in all types of accommodation facilities in Prague, approximately 2 million. It was followed by the South Moravian region with approximately 416 thousand guests and the Karlovy Vary region, with a total of 318 thousand travelers staying overnight in Vekterem. Tourists from abroad also stay the longest in the latter region, spending an average of 4.84 days, while the national average for 2023 is 3.44 days.

As far as hotels are concerned, a total of 1,200,573 guests visited them in the Czech Republic in December of last year alone. Of this, 37.4% were residents (449,027) and 62.6% were foreigners (751,546). The largest part of foreign guests who chose this type of accommodation at the end of last year came from Germany (174,616, year-on-year + 13%), the United Kingdom (51,683, year-on-year + 44%), Slovakia (50,997, similar to last year), Italy (40,814, year-on-year +32%) and the USA (39,968, year-on-year +29%).

At the same time, direct air connections play a vital role in the travel industry. CzechTourism works intensively on them with Prague Airport and other entities. Last year, among other things, the lines Prague – Seoul and Prague – Taipei were put into operation, and work is being done on the following years.

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 the lower chamber.

Everything will start already on February 14, when the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, will visit the Chamber of Deputies. “The President last visited Prague shortly before the start of the very successful Czech presidency of the EU Council the year before last. I look forward to continuing our discussion on the challenges we face together in the European Union,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

On March 25, a student simulation of the proceedings of the Chamber of Deputies called “I am a Member of Parliament” will take place. This time, the discussion in the plenary session of the parliamentary chamber will be devoted specifically to European topics that Czech legislators are currently dealing with.

From April 24 to 25, the Chamber of Deputies will also host a two-day conference focused on the significance and contribution of the past two decades of our country in the family of EU member states. The conference will bring together veterans participating in the Czech journey to the EU and today’s students who were already born in united Europe and have lived their whole lives in it.

“We want to not only celebrate this year’s round anniversary but above all to use it to highlight the indisputable advantages resulting from our membership in the European Union. We intend to focus especially on the young generation, who are the real future of Europe and for whom the future is precisely a united Europe,” said Speaker of the Chamber Markéta Pekarová Adamová on the occasion of the upcoming jubilee.

The European Day of Diversity will take place on Friday, June 7. It is a conference traditionally organized by the Business for Society alliance and is the traditional ceremonial end of May – the pan-European month of diversity. “The topic of diversity is directly linked to the basic motto of the European integration project itself – unity in diversity”, concluded the chairwoman Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

On Monday, February 5, Duni started carrying her cub on her back. According to breeders, the little female has an excellent grasping reflex. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

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, and his deputy for the environment Jana Komrsková, and the popular YouTuber Karel “Kovy” Kovář.

An accompanying program will be prepared for visitors – an African drumming performance, free thematic face painting, or a game station in an authentic Cameroonian school classroom.

The name for the baby gorilla was chosen by the Czech public in a two-round poll. From the original ten proposals in the Badjoué dialect, which came from Cameroonian children living in the Dja Biosphere Reserve, the three names Ekiba (thanks), Mobi (heiress), and Mosâmom (the one whose birth will end the war between humans and animals) advanced to the second round of the poll. .

Duni regularly checks and examines her one-month-old daughter. In doing so, it usually stretches it, which benefits the baby’s health. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

The female gorilla was born in the Dja Reserve pavilion on January 2 in the evening. This is the first offspring of the female Duni and the male Kisuma and the first ever baby gorilla in the new gorilla pavilion, which the Prague Zoo opened in autumn 2022. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

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.

After a morning full of B2B meetings, H.E. Mr. Athanassios Paressoglou, Ambassador of Greece greeted the guests. Here are selected sections of the Ambassador’s speech.

Distinguished guests, I want to congratulate the organizers for this important initiative which brought together tourism businessmen of our two countries this morning to further enhance our bilateral cooperation in this sector. In a few minutes will follow presentations of the amazing landscapes and the big tourism potential of some of our beautiful regions, namely Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central Macedonia, and last but not least the island of Crete.

Dear guests, allow me to point out that the tourism sector, as a strong pillar of Greece’s economy has made huge progress during the last years. Thanks to the great climate, the variety of the landscapes, the steadily improved infrastructures, and the extension of the tourism season, Greece offers nowadays numerous attractions and various types of alternative tourism such as cultural, religious, medical, gastronomic, or conferential tourism.

I would also like to highlight that Greece has been a very popular destination in recent years for Czech tourists. Particularly last year, according to the available data, more than 640,000 tourists from Czechia visited Greece, traveling by plane or by car. This marks a significant increase of approximately 30% compared to the previous year.

In conclusion let me point out that our Embassy, in constructive cooperation with other competent institutions, mainly with the Greek National Tourism Organization (EOT), works to promote Greek tourism in the Czech Republic and is always at your disposal to support you.

After the Ambassador Mrs. Nikoletta Nikolopoulou – Director of the Greek National Tourism Organization office of Poland and the Czech Republic greeted the guest, adding very useful data about tourism between the 2 countries. A very interesting presentation was given by Dr. Kyriakos Kotsoglou – Vice Governor of Create and Mrs. Eleni Vougioukalaki – Head of the tourism department.