AuthorMartin Hladík

On Wednesday, September 30, President Petr Pavel received Romanian President Nicușor Dan at Prague Castle, who arrived in the Czech Republic for an official visit. Together with the first lady, Eva Pavlova, he also welcomed the Romanian First Lady, Mirabela Gradinarová.

The main topics of the meeting were European security, support for Ukraine, and possibilities for further economic cooperation.

The heads of state discussed security on NATO’s eastern flank and in the Black Sea region. They also discussed the repeated violations of Romanian airspace by Russian drones.

President Pavel praised Romania’s role in the Alliance’s collective defense and stressed that the security of the Black Sea region is important for all of Europe.

The talks also focused on trade and investment. Romania is the largest trading partner of the Czech Republic in Southeastern Europe. The two presidents see opportunities for further cooperation, in particular in the modernization of railway and urban transport, energy, digitalization and the defense industry. Czech companies can contribute with their technologies, among other things, to the modernization of the Romanian transport infrastructure and armed forces.

The Romanian president had a meeting with the Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura.

At the end of a full day, the Romanian president met members of the Romanian Diaspora.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan wrote on his social media – Today I am on an official visit to the Czech Republic, at the Prague Castle, at the invitation of President Petr Pavel.

The consistent discussions held in Prague reconfirmed the excellent state of bilateral cooperation between Romania and the Czech Republic, based on long-standing historical links and the close friendship between our peoples.

We discussed ways of deepening our cooperation at all levels, both bilaterally and within the EU and NATO, with a special focus on security, the threats posed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the development of our defense industries.

We stressed the importance of strengthening NATO’s East Flank, as well as increased solidarity and cohesion in Europe, to protect our common future and strengthen the capacity of the European Union to respond to current global challenges.

We also highlighted the valuable contribution of the important Romanian community in the Czech Republic and the Czech minority in Romania. Two days ago, Romania marked the Czech Language Day, in recognition of the contribution of the Czech minority, whose language, culture and traditions enrich our national cultural heritage and constitute a lasting foundation of Romanian-Czech friendship.

At the same time, I expressed my appreciation for the recognition by the Czech authorities of the sacrifice and the significant role of the Romanian Army in the liberation of Czechoslovakia at the end of the Second World War; for this cause, tens of thousands of Romanian soldiers sacrificed their lives.

Watch the Video from the reception.

On the Occasion of the 77th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Zhou Qian, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Czech Republic, and his spouse, Mrs. Zhou Wenbin, hosted a reception at the Chinese Embassy in Prague.

The honored speakers were Mr. Andrej Babiš – the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, and Mr. Tomio Okamura – The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Watch the video with the speeches of H.E. Mr. Zhou Qian, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Czech Republic, Mr. Andrej Babiš –the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, and Mr. Tomio Okamura – the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Parliament of the Czech Republic, and highlights from the beautiful culture part.

On Tuesday, September 29, 2026, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors to the Czech Republic at Prague Castle:

• H.E. Archbishop Mons. Eugene Martin Nugent, the new Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See based in Prague.

• H.E. Mr. Jouni Veikko Juhani Laaksonen, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of  the Republic of Finland, residing in Prague.

• H.E. Mr. Dong-han Yang, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea, based in  Prague.

• H.E. Mr. Ashraf Ahmad Mahmoud Eldib, new Ambassador Extraordinary  and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt, based in  Prague.

• H.E. Mr. Qian Zhou, the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China, based in Prague.

MEET THE WOMEN TRANSFORMING SCIENCE

From medicine and economics to biotechnology, three remarkable women show how research can move far beyond academia and create tangible change in society. Meet the winners of the Women Changing the World Awards Czech & Slovak Edition in the Science category.

Women Changing The World: Meet The Women Transforming Science

Science changes the world long before most of us can see its impact. Behind research, evidence and new approaches are people willing to question what already exists – and to dedicate years of work to finding better answers.

The Women Changing the World Awards Czech & Slovak Edition recognise women whose work creates meaningful impact across industries, communities and society. This week, we introduce three women from the Science category whose careers show how knowledge can translate into leadership, innovation and real-world change.

Milena Králíčková

Medicine, biomedical research and academic leadership

Professor Milena Králíčková is a physician, scientist and academic leader whose work has connected medicine, research and university leadership for decades. Her scientific background is in histology, embryology and reproductive medicine, including research experience at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University through a Fulbright fellowship. From 2022 to 2026 she served as Rector of Charles University, becoming the first woman to lead the university in its modern history. Today she continues her scientific work at the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen and the Biomedical Centre. Her career reflects the impact that can be created when scientific expertise is combined with responsibility for institutions, education and the next generation of researchers.

Lenka Farkačová Říhová

Economics, labour market and science communication

Lenka Farkačová Říhová is an economist and researcher whose work focuses on topics that directly shape everyday life – from the labour market and remuneration to broader economic and social questions. Alongside research, she is strongly committed to making expert knowledge understandable and useful beyond academia. Her approach is built on the idea that information only creates value when it is shared, discussed and applied. By connecting research with public communication and practical questions, she represents a form of science that does not remain behind university walls but enters the public conversation and helps people and organisations make better-informed decisions.

Šarlota Kaňuková

Plant biotechnology and next-generation food technologies

RNDr. Šarlota Kaňuková, PhD. is a Slovak scientist specialising in plant biotechnology. She works with plant cell and tissue cultures, exploring how biologically active compounds and valuable secondary metabolites can be produced independently of traditional agriculture. Her research combines experimental biotechnology with data analysis and machine-learning approaches to optimise cultivation and production processes. Alongside academic and research work, she is also involved in translating science into practical innovation, including plant-cell technologies for the next generation of saffron production. Her work shows how biotechnology can connect scientific discovery with food, sustainability and new commercial possibilities.

Together, these three women demonstrate that science is not one single path. It can mean leading a major university, translating economic research into public understanding, or developing new biotechnologies with the potential to reshape production. What connects them is the ability to turn expertise into impact.

Discover more Women Changing the World Awards winners → https://thewomenchangingtheworld.cz

Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz

In a fortnight’s time, voters will be going to the polls in Czechia in local and Senate elections. Many EU citizens resident in the country may be unaware they can also take part in the former – and that’s something the group Volby pro všechny (Votes for Everybody) are working to change.

Only two weeks remain until elections take place in Czech municipalities and for one-third of the seats in the Senate.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Foto: LATAM

Será una invasión de las buenas, promete Roxana Velasco, la organizadora principal de estas dos actividades que tendrán a la mexicanidad como protagonista principal este fin de semana en Praga. Una gran, diversa e intensa invasión cultural mexicana gracias a Mexiko Pop Up, el viernes en el pasaje Lucerna, y Agave Fest, el sábado en Sodovkárna Holešovice.

México es más que tequila y mariachi.

See more here.

Author: Gonzalo Núñez

Photo: Ondřej Hájek, ČTK

People gathered on Říp Mountain this past Sunday to mark 900 years since the restoration of the Rotunda of St. George and St. Adalbert. Říp is a well-known symbol of Czech history, traditionally associated with the legendary arrival of the Czech forefather Čech. The celebrations included a Te Deum prayer led by Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl, who also blessed the restored statue of St. George.

See more here.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, one of Russia’s best-known composers, visited Prague three times, but his stays were not always a triumph. Much depended on the political mood of the time, while many questions and myths still surround both his life and the circumstances of his death.

See more here.

Photo: National Gallery Prague

One of Egon Schiele’s most recognisable drawings is now on display at the National Gallery Prague. Seated Woman with Bent Knees has been reproduced countless times on posters and merchandise, but the fragile original normally remains in storage.

Created in 1917, Seated Woman with Bent Knees shows Schiele’s wife, Edith Harms, sitting on the floor in a provocative pose.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Archive of Prague Music Week

Thursday sees the start of the music conference ReConnect Brno, one of several such events, often combining industry discussions with showcases and festivals, that take place in Czechia. But like the music industry itself, music conferences have to evolve – bringing in international experts, responding to new trends, merging events or radically changing their concept.

Their programmes offer opportunities to discover new talent, learn about the latest tools and trends, and meet established figures on the Czech and international music scenes.

See more here.

Author: Daniel Sywala

Photo: Marek Hensl, Czech Radio

Scientists in Brno have developed a special bone glue that could one day help doctors treat even complicated fractures. The material is now being tested on sheep.

The special bone glue was developed at the CEITEC research centre at Brno University of Technology, together with surgeons from Brno University Hospital and Masaryk University.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: David Horák, Miroslav Hlaváček, Memory of Nations

A photograph of a wounded young man lying outside Czechoslovak Radio on August 21, 1968, became one of the striking images of the Soviet-led invasion. After 58 years, Memory of Nations organization has identified him as Jaroslav Mareček. The Soviet bullet remains lodged in his leg to this day, although for decades he did not know it was there.

Memory of Nations identified Jaroslav Mareček after appealing to the public for help.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Jan Vrba

Jakub Šimanský is a Czech guitarist, drummer and sound explorer based in Brno, who has made a significant mark on the Czech alternative music scene.

Jakub Šimanský was born and raised in Přerov.

See more here.

Author: Daniel Sywala

Photo: Petr Neubert, SOČR

The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra is commemorating the centenary of its founding. Its 2026/2027 season plans feature distinguished guest conductors, new compositions by Czech composers, prestigious festival appearances and special projects to reach a wider audience.

Czech musical tradition and the European repertoire.

See more here.

Author: Daniel Sywala

Photo: LUSTR

The annual LUSTR festival of illustration and comics has got under way at Prague’s Holešovice Market. The 13th edition brings together more than a hundred Czech and international artists, with exhibitions, talks and workshops running until the end of the month.

The main theme of this year’s LUSTR festival is Landscape 2.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

At the invitation of the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Her Majesty Queen Rania arrived on an official visit to the Czech Republic on Friday, September 18, 2026.

President Pavel and the First Lady Eva Pavlová welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Her Majesty Queen Rania with a full ceremony at the first yard of Prague Castle.

Then, a private meeting of the King and the Queen with the President and the First Lady at the Habsburg Salon.

Meeting of official delegations from the Czech Republic and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Then, a press conference at the Octagon Hall.

Watch the Video from the ceremony

To celebrate the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, H.E. Mr. Alan Gibbons, Ambassador of Ireland to the Czech Republic, and Dr. Ernesto Vasquez del Aguila hosted an evening of Irish Culture, at Na Pradle Theatre in Prague.

The event started with remarks by H.E. Mr. Alan Gibbons, Ambassador of Ireland to the Czech Republic, and Mrs. Marie Chatardova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Then a great evening of Irish Music, songs, and dance by inSpiral Dance Company and Conamara Chaos band.

You can find the full program in the pictures attached.

Watch the video with Highlights from the event.

September 20 is an official UN International World Cleanup Day, originating in Estonia in 2008.

H.E. Mrs. Jana Vanaveski, the Ambassador of Estonia to the Czech Republic, with the Embassy team and the company Bolt ( an Estonian company ), organized a clean-up event at Karlin.

This year, Mr. Lauri Hussar, President of the Riigikogu, Mrs. Triin Hussar, his wife, and Mr. Jan Huk, PR Manager at Bolt, together with H.E. Mrs. Jana Vanaveski, the Ambassador of Estonia to the Czech Republic, and the Embassy team, added great value to this important action.

Watch the interview with Mr. Lauri Hussar, President of the Riigikogu ( the Parliament of the Republic of Estonia), H.E. Mrs. Jana Vanaveski, the Ambassador of Estonia to the Czech Republic, and Mr. Jan Huk, PR Manager at Bolt (CR).

World Clean Up Day and the global need to do more about the environment are a must, and all of us should take an example from Estonia to do more.

We are excited to inform you that Pražák and Friends will return to Hlahol for a special concert on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 11 a.m.

Last year’s festival of Pražák & Friends Festival, which took place at the historic Hlahol Hall during September and October 2025, was a big success.

The program for this year is :

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:String Quintet in G minor, K. 516 (1787)
• Ennio Morricone:Vivo for String Trio (2001)
• Bohuslav Martinů:Serenade No. 2, H. 216 (1932)
• Bohuslav Martinů:String Quintet, H. 164 (1927)

Featured Artists

• The Pražák Quartet
• Eva Krestová (Viola, Czech Republic):Principal violist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, international competition laureate, and frequent performer on stages from Carnegie Hall to Wigmore Hall (stepping in for retired founding violist Josef Klusoň).
• Peter Sagaischek (Viola, Austria):Long-time principal violist and soloist with the Vienna Volksoper Orchestra, renowned international chamber musician, and frequent collaborator with top European ensembles.

Tickets are CZK 500 and are available at this link: Buy Tickets Here.

https://connect.boomevents.org/en/prazak/prazak-at-hlahol-2026

On 18 September 2026, the Czech-Finnish Business Networking & Women in Leadership event brought together Czech and Finnish business leaders, innovators, public sector representatives, and advocates of inclusive leadership at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Helsinki. The event was organized as part of the Czech delegation’s presence at the Nordic Business Forum and focused on leadership, talent, innovation, sustainability, and the advancement of women in business and leadership positions. It was supported by YIT Czechia, a long-standing advocate of Czech-Finnish business cooperation, leadership development, and the exchange of best practices between the two countries.

The programme opened with a welcome by Ondřej Fiala, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Helsinki, who highlighted the importance of strong Czech-Finnish relations and the value of fostering dialogue between business communities from both countries.

Opening remarks were delivered by the Co-Founders of the Inspire & Impact Network, Renata Mrázová and Tatiana Le Moigne, who introduced the initiative, which supports women leaders, fosters mutual support, and inspires the next generation of leadership talent. They explained how, through networking, mentoring, and the sharing of experience among accomplished leaders, the Inspire & Impact Network aims to strengthen female leadership, support personal and professional growth, and contribute to positive social and long-term prosperity of the country.

The central part of the event was a panel discussion moderated by Lenka Simerská, Executive Director of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic and equality expert, who guided an engaging conversation connecting leadership, business growth, innovation, company culture, sustainability, gender diversity, and women in leadership.

You can read more here: https://www.nordicchamber.cz/events/czech-finnish-business-networking-women-in-leadership_416/

A period motorcycle will not be missing from the celebrations. Photo archive of the Prague Zoo

Traditionally, on Czech National Day, the Prague Zoo will celebrate the anniversary of its opening – this time with serial number 95!

For Monday, September 28, the zoo prepared a festive program in the presence of special guests. Costumes, historical vehicles, or stylish camels delivering period newspapers will transport the entire garden to the 1930s on this day. Those interested will be able to have their hairstyles created for free and dance to the music of a live swing band. Visitors who arrive at the celebration in a themed outfit will also receive a small gift. The program will also include the presentation of novelties or the opening of the exhibition 95 years of the Prague Zoo. There will be popular training of sea lions or commented feeding and meetings with the animals that stood at the beginning of the Prague Zoo: wolves, lions or elephants.

In addition to history, the theme of the 95th anniversary celebration will also be Převalský’s iconic horse. At the same time, the Prague Zoo is commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Return of Wild Horses project, within the framework of which the zoo and its partners are reintroducing these ungulates into the wild of Central Asia. In addition, symbolically, the year 2026 in the Chinese horoscope is in the sign of the Fire Horse. At the Gobi exhibition complex, the ambassador of Mongolia in the Czech Republic and the ambassador of Kazakhstan in the Czech Republic will speak about the importance of this world-famous project. Representatives of the Army of the Czech Republic will then talk about the difficulty of transport, while the program will be enriched by a musical performance by Mongolian artists led by Badam Bolor.

Zoo founder Professor Janda and the legendary elephant Baby. Photo archive of the Prague Zoo

Only on the day of the anniversary celebration, visitors to the garden will also have a unique opportunity to purchase an exclusive souvenir introduced for the 95th anniversary of the Prague Zoo.

In addition to clothes and hairstyles, the atmosphere of the 30s will be breathed into life by historic cars and motorcycles with advertisements from the time, camels handing out newspapers, performances by the Sunny Swing Orchestra and the ZIG-ZAG tap & swing dance studio, which will also offer a period dance workshop. The rich program will also include a fashion show presented by Aristokrat Vintage, a musical performance by Ema Papšová, interviews with witnesses, and the ceremonial opening of the 95-year photography exhibition of the Prague Zoo, which will present important milestones in the history of the metropolitan zoo.

The feeding of the male lion Jamvan will start at 15.00. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

You can find the detailed program of this year’s annual celebration below.

The main program of the 95th annual celebration of the Prague Zoo

11.00 Opening of the annual celebration and presentation of novelties (Educational Center)

13.00 15 years of the project Return of wild horses (Gobi)

14.00 95 years of Prague Zoo – exhibition with historical milestones (Educational Center)

Terrace of the Education Center

10.10 Period dance workshop with ZIG-ZAG tap & swing dance studio

10.30 Musical performance by the band Sunny Swing Orchestra

11.00 Opening of the annual celebration with representatives of the City Hall. city of Prague

11.20 Presentation of novelties at the Prague Zoo

11.30 Fashion show presented by Aristokrat Vintage

13.50 Musical performance by Ema Papšová

14.00 Interviews with witnesses and the opening of the exhibition 95 years of the Prague Zoo

10.00–16.00 Photo corner

Gobi exhibition complex

12.45 Musical performance by Mongolian artists led by Badam Bolor

13.05 Introductory speech by the director of the Prague Zoo about the future of the Return of Wild Horses

13.10 H.E. Ambassador of Mongolia: handing over the patronage of the project from the head of state

13.15 Speech by HE the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan

13.20 Interview with representatives of the Army of the Czech Republic

10.00–16.00 Face painting

10.00–16.00 Mongolia, land of wild horses: program with the Society of Czech-Mongolian Friendship and Cooperation

10.00-16.00 Return of wild horses: information and game station

Special guided feedings and meetings

10.00 Meeting at the raptors (Large raptor aviary)

10.30 Meeting at Převalský’s horses (Gobi)

12.30 Meeting at the elephants (Elephant Valley, grass paddock near the Gulab Restaurant)

13.30 Demonstration of sea lion training (sea lion exposure in the lower part of the zoo)

15.00 Feeding of the male lion (Pavilion of beasts and reptiles, outdoor enclosure of lions)

15.30 Feeding the wolves (wolf enclosure in the upper part of the zoo)

Foto: Igor Zehl, Radio Prague International

Seis años después de su construcción, la iglesia católica de la Beata María Restituta de Brno acaba de ser consagrada y ya puede brindar servicios y misas a los creyentes.

El obispo católico Pavel Konzbul ha consagrado hace unos días en la ciudad morava de Brno la moderna iglesia de la beata María Restituta, una obra terminada hace ya seis años.

See more here.

Author: Ivana Vonderková

Photo: Ondřej Deml, ČTK

New cable cars have just entered operation on Prague’s Petřín Hill. The glass-heavy cars afford spectacular views of the city and boast cool details; for instance when they pass, those going up “wink” (flash their lights), while those going down “blush” (light up red inside). I discussed the system with its designer Anna Marešová, shortly after she and invited guests enjoyed its maiden run on Monday evening.

“This project has had many phases.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

The Czech Republic has joined a group of countries seeking to protect children from the potential impact of artificial intelligence.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Michaela Danelová, iROZHLAS.cz

As of September 19, the public can view the authentic Bohemian crown jewels, which are on display in the Vladislav Hall of Prague Castle. These priceless symbols of the Czech nation will be exhibited up until the Day of Czech Statehood on September 28th.

A bejeweled crown, a golden orb and scepter, a long iron sword, a red silk cloak – the Bohemian crown jewels are mesmerizing symbols of power used in the coronations of kings and queens of Bohemia.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Archive of the Czech Spitfire Club

Karel Kuttelwascher, the most successful Czechoslovak fighter pilot to serve with Britain’s Royal Air Force, was born 110 years ago, on September 23, 1916. His greatest victories came during daring solo night operations close to German airfields in occupied Europe. Archival recordings preserve his own vivid account of the missions that made him a wartime celebrity.

That was how Karel Kuttelwascher summed up his wartime exploits in a BBC broadcast in 1942.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Richard Wagner had a strong connection to Czechia, from the spa town of Teplice to Prague’s theatres. He reportedly found inspiration for the libretto of his opera Tannhäuser at Střekov Castle near Ústí nad Labem, and his operas were performed in Prague soon after their German premieres.

See more here.

Photo: Michaela Danelová, iROZHLAS.cz

The Václav Havel Library ceased to exist in its hitherto form earlier this year, when both major donors and staff members departed. Further twists followed – and this week Havel’s widow entrusted Prague’s Municipal Library with preserving the legacy of the dissident dramatist-turned-president.

Last week, representatives of the First Presidential Library, a newly established entity with key members who were previously involved with the Václav Havel Library, held a news conference outlining their aims.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Martin Hurin, ČTK

The legendary East German train known as “Dolphin” due to its distinctive “dolphin’s snout” undertook a closely-watched trip to Czechia at the weekend. The veteran train, which served the Berlin – Prague – Vienna route, was restored by railway enthusiasts in the German city of Görlitz.

Undertaking its original route Berlin-Prague-Vienna, the red and white veteran drew many admirers in Prague where it made a longer stop to allow people to inspect it close up and take photos.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Petr Tichý, Czech Radio

Znojmo lies in southern Moravia, just a few kilometres from the Austrian border. Thanks to its location between Brno and Vienna, for centuries it was a place where different cultures, languages and trade routes met.

The first references to the town’s name date back to the 12th century.

See more here.

Author: Klára Stejskalová

Photo: Kristýna Sedláčková, Czech Radio

Václav Havel would have turned 90 this October. A new exhibition at Villa Stiassni in Brno looks beyond his familiar roles as playwright, dissident and president to explore his relationship with architecture.

But Havel grew up in a family in which building and architecture had played an important role for generations.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Akademie filmového umění a věd

The student film Volklore by Czech filmmaker Viktorie Štěpánová this week received a Silver Student Academy Award in the Alternative/Experimental category of the international film festival in Toronto. The video essay explores the transformation of Czech folklore in the age of social media.

Volklore is the first Czech film to receive a Student Academy Award in the Alternative/Experimental category and the fifth Czech film to win a Student Oscar.

See more here.

Author: Daniel Sywala

On the occasion of the 216^th Anniversary of the Independence of Mexico, H.E. Mrs. Berenice Díaz Ceballos, the Ambassador of the United Mexican States, hosted a special reception at the beautiful Kaiserštejnský palác.

The Honored Speaker was :

Mr. Karel Havlicek – Deputy PM and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

After the official part, there was a great concert of traditional Mexican music, featuring:

Tenor Rafael Alvarez Nava & Mariachi Azteca de Praga

Watch the video with the speeches of H.E. Mrs. Berenice Díaz Ceballos, the Ambassador of the United Mexican States to the Czech Republic, Mr. Karel Havlicek – Deputy PM and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and highlights from the great Mexican concert.

Viva MEXICO Viva Republica Checa

The puppet method prevents the cub from sticking to a person, i.e. its breeder. Apart from scavenging vultures, the Prague Zoo also uses this method in the case of artificial breeding of lesser condors, two-horned rhinoceroses or Javan grebes. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

An exceptional Egyptian Vulture chick is being raised at Prague Zoo. Both parents originated in the wild and owe their survival to international cooperation among experts. The male, named Brok, was shot with a shotgun in Lebanon and arrived at Prague Zoo in June 2022. In September of the same year, a female named Qalamoon arrived from Syria; she had suffered a similar fate, having also been illegally captured and injured during migration. Her case marked the first time a bird from Syria had entered the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). Despite their ordeal, the vultures recovered and bonded in Prague—producing offspring this summer.

The discovery, securing, and confiscation of the birds, followed by the complex administrative, transport, and veterinary procedures that led to their successful rescue, are the result of years of effort by dozens of people across five countries. As the EEP coordinator for this species, Prague Zoo highlights its collaboration with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), the Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife (SSCW), and BirdLife International Middle East (BLIME). “At Prague Zoo, we like to say that nature conservation should know no national borders, and this success is a practical application of that idea. Thanks to the cooperation of local authorities, the efforts of conservationists, and long-standing collaboration with Bulgarian colleagues—who coordinate these unprecedented transfers of injured birds of prey to Europe—these stories, which often seem like something out of a movie, tend to have happy endings,” says Antonín Vaidl, Prague Zoo’s curator of birds and an EEP coordinator.

Cub captured at only three days old. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The Egyptian vulture is the only migratory vulture species in Europe. During its annual migration from breeding grounds in southern Europe to wintering grounds in Africa, it undertakes a journey of up to 5,000 kilometers. Many birds perish after colliding with power lines or wind turbines, or are illegally captured or even shot. Thanks to cooperation between local conservationists and experienced breeding institutions, rescued individuals are given a second chance at life in a zoo. Moreover, their genetic material provides a valuable boost to breeding programs.

The male Broka was found by rangers from the SPNL in September 2021. Together with two other vultures, he was illegally kept on a farm in Lebanon. While one of the trio was released into the wild, the other two males – namely Brok and also a vulture called Loki – had healed wing fractures and lead shots in their bodies, so they could not be returned to the wild.

The current form of Kali’s vulture (in the foreground) already resembles an adult individual. However, it will not reach full adult dress until the beginning of the next decade. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

With the support of their Bulgarian colleagues, they reached the Prague Zoo in June 2022, where they gradually recovered from their injuries. The second of the males named Loki left in April 2023 to strengthen the “scavenger” breeding in France, but Brok remained in Prague. “I removed three bullets from his body, the other six bullets will probably remain in his body forever. They are encapsulated and the operation would be risky,” explains veterinarian Helena Vaidlová.

The lead level in the blood of the rescued vultures gradually decreases. “We do not yet know how much lead affects reproduction, i.e. what is the limit for reduced fertility and embryo development. All of this is the subject of further testing. We have no comparison abroad, as this is the first large-scale research for this species,” adds Vaidlová, pointing out the research role of modern zoos in addition to the conservation function.

The mother of the current chick was first reported by Bulgarian colleagues in the fall of 2021. She and another young vulture were captured in Syria on their migration journey in 2019 or 2020. In 2021, the two vultures were found in illegal breeding and then seized thanks to the efforts of SSCW and BLIME. The young vulture recovered and flew free, but the adult female showed a problem with her wing. Challenging negotiations on its export to the European Union and inclusion in the EEP bore fruit – the Ministry of the Environment of Syria supported the transport, while the Bulgarian BSPB ensured it financially.

The female was named Qalamoon after the mountain range on the Lebanese-Syrian border. It was transported to Prague from Damascus via Beirut and Istanbul. She became not only the first vulture from Syria to strengthen European breeding, but also the very first bird from this country to ever enter the EEP. On arrival in September 2022, however, she showed signs of infection and osteoarthritis of the left wing following an untreated injury. After her condition improved and she was quarantined for a month, she was placed in a familiarization aviary. There, just like in nature, vultures look for a suitable partner. From a human point of view, they can be unexpectedly picky.

The mother of the current cub, a female brought from Syria called Qalamoon. In the picture from September 2022, in the transport crate in which she arrived in the Czech Republic. Photo by Antonín Vaidl, Prague Zoo

The Middle Eastern sufferers, Brok and Qalamoon, found favor in each other. Fertilized eggs were unexpectedly laid by the female directly in the familiarization aviary this year. Considering the inappropriate location and also the rarity of its contents, the egg was placed in a hatchery. The little vulture was hatched on July 12 and due to the couple’s inexperience, it was placed under the deserving female Debora, who had already taken on the role of foster mother in the past. At the same time there was a cub

supplemented with a puppet imitating the head of an adult scavenger vulture. This proven method prevents harmful imprinting of the young on the human face of the breeder.

The cub is a male and was named Kali by its keepers. His valuable blood will strengthen breeding in another European zoo in the future. His parents, who started a new life at the Prague Zoo, will stay here and, with a bit of luck, give birth to more offspring.

Veterinary inspection of vultures imported from Lebanon by bird curator Antonín Vaidl and veterinarian Helena Vaidlová (The picture is illustrative, it shows another scavenger vulture transported from Lebanon. It is not the father of the young, male Broka.). Photo by Tereza Mrhálková, Prague Zoo

With 40 hatchlings, the Prague Zoo is one of the most successful breeders of the scavenger vulture, the smallest and most endangered European vulture. In addition to breeding in human care, it also long-term supports the reintroduction program of this predator into the wild. In cooperation with the non-profit organization Green Balkans, she has already released 13 scavenger vultures from her farm in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria.

You can read more about the protection of the scavenger vulture by the Prague Zoo on the website: https://www.zoopraha.cz/zachrana-supa-mrchozraveho-v-jizni-evrope.

Foto: Círculo Chileco

En su primer aniversario, la organización celebrará las Fiestas Patrias con dos eventos masivos en Praga y Olomouc, abiertos tanto a la comunidad internacional como a los checos que quieran sumarse y disfrutar las tradiciones chilenas.

Toda una existencia marcada por la Independencia.

See more here.

Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Photo: Kašpar, Museum of Literature

Among events in Prague marking the imminent 90th anniversary of Václav Havel’s birth is an exhibition showcasing letters the then dissident sent his wife during a lengthy spell in a communist jail. The often philosophical correspondence was collected in the book Letters to Olga, which became one of Havel’s best-known publications

Václav Havel wrote 161 missives to his wife Olga Havlová when he underwent his first serious jail term between 1979 and 1983, when he was let out early due to dangerously poor health.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Khalil Baalbaki, Czech Radio

National public broadcaster Czech Radio is testing a new system designed to warn the public of emergencies through radio broadcasting. The technology will eventually allow listeners to be alerted quickly about events such as floods, fires or power outages with immediate advice regarding what to do.

Czech Radio carried out a nationwide test of the technology last week on both conventional radio receivers and a number of DAB+ digital radios.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Barbora Müllerová

How did people record their journeys four hundred years ago, and how do illustrators do it today? A new exhibition by the LUSTR illustration and comics festival at Prague’s Star Summer Palace brings together historical travel diaries, maps and drawings from the Czech National Library with work by contemporary illustrators. I went to have a look and spoke to curator Barbora Müllerová.

“It’s actually the second exhibition we’ve made together with the National Library of the Czech Republic.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Josef Beneda, Czech Radio

Prague is hosting a week of debates, workshops and public events devoted to climate change and its impact on society and the economy. Linda Zeilina-Cross, founder and CEO of the International Sustainable Finance Centre, tells RPI the aim is to open a discussion that too often takes place behind closed doors.

Climate change is discussed constantly by politicians, scientists and business leaders.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Katarína Hudačinová, National Gallery Prague

One of the National Gallery’s most important paintings is about to undergo its most extensive restoration in decades. Albrecht Dürer’s The Rosary Feast will be out of the gallery for about five years and placed in the hands of Czech experts.

The Rosary Feast is one of Albrecht Dürer’s best-known works.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Gulag.cz

The site of a one-time Soviet Gulag, located in Kazakhstan, is now being studied by archaeologists from the University of West Bohemia in cooperation with the NGO Gulag.cz. The camp once held more than 20,000 people, mostly political prisoners, including around two dozen Czechoslovaks.

Gulag.

See more here.

Author: Anna Kubišta, Daniela Lazarová

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

The Czech government has approved an amendment to the addictive substances law that aims to curb kratom use among young people and crack down on illegal sales. Dubbed Lex Kratom, the bill would raise the minimum age for buying kratom from 18 to 21 and ban its sale through e-shops.

Kratom is a psychomodulatory herbal substance made from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree that interact with the brain to alter mood and energy levels.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Václav Pancer, ČTK

The Záviš Cross, one of the most precious medieval treasures in the Czech lands, has yielded two unexpected discoveries. Researchers have found a second wooden relic inside the cross and have also discovered that some of the gemstones were misidentified.

The Záviš Cross is a medieval golden reliquary kept at Vyšší Brod Monastery in southern Bohemia.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Patrik Uhlíř, ČTK

A community event in Brno-Kohoutovice featured a performance by 24-year-old slackliner Timotej Horák. Barefoot and wearing traditional folk costume, he walked above the heads of spectators along a 60-metre-long slackline stretched between the Grand Prix building on Libušina Street and an apartment block opposite.

See more here.

Photo: Archive of Michal Švarc/Městská část Praha 8

On September 12, 1901, Libeň officially became the last district incorporated into Prague prior to the establishment of Czechoslovakia. Associated with writer Bohumil Hrabal, it has seen a number of historical events.

Operation Anthropoid, one of the most daring actions of WWII, took place in Libeň.

See more here.

Photo: Ulrike Leone, Pixabay, CC0 1.0 DEED

Hop harvesting is coming to a close in the Czech Republic, and most growers say it has not been a good year. Prolonged drought and extreme heat have led to a poor harvest. Could climate change threaten the quality of one of the country’s best-known export products?

Last year, Czech growers harvested 6,490 tons of hops.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

On the occasion of the 204th Anniversary of the Independence of Brazil, the ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E Mr. Orlando Leite Ribeiro, and Ms. Renata Abreu e Lima hosted a special reception in the Troja Château, a unique and beautiful baroque palace in Prague. It was built for the Counts of Sternberg from 1679 to 1691.

The palace is owned by the city of Prague and hosts the 19^th-century Czech art collections of the City Gallery.

The Honored speakers were :

Mr. Karel Havlicek – Deputy PM, and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Mr. Tomio Okamura – President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Watch the video with the speech of the ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E Mr. Orlando Leite Ribeiro and the other honored speakers.

Happy 204th Anniversary of the Independence, Brazil

Feliz 204º aniversário da Independência do Brasil

On the Occasion of the Constitution Day of the Slovak Republic and the Day of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, H.E. Mr. Martin Muránsky, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Czech Republic, hosted a reception in the beautiful garden of the Slovak Embassy, which was full of ministers, ambassadors, and distinguished guests.

The honored speakers were:

Mr. Andrej Babiš – the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.

Mr. Tomio Okamura – President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Brig. Gen. Branislav BENKA, The Defense Attaché of the Slovak Republic.

Mr. Petr Macinka – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

Watch the video with the speeches of H.E. Mr. Martin Muránsky, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Czech Republic, and the other honored guests.

For the first time, the Embassy used an innovative Slovak system. A big screen broadcast the translation into English of the speeches. It was a great solution for the guests which are not speak Czech.

Happy Constitution Day, Slovakia

Šťastný Deň ústavy, Slovensko

On Monday, 7th September 2026, at the Romanian Embassy in Prague, we officially launched another year of Women Changing the World Awards Czech & Slovak

Kamika Palickova, Founder of The Women Changing the World Awards Czech & Slovak, wrote:

For me, it was not just another event.

When you build something from scratch, most of the work takes place long out of the spotlight. In meetings, decisions, rejections, hundreds of details, and in finding people who believe in the same idea as you.

And then there comes a moment when you look around and see a room full of people who are part of it.

It was a great honour for me to open this year, together with Lenka Šťastná, in the presence of H.E Mrs. Marie-Antoinette Barta Ambassador of Romania to the Czech Republic, our partners, jury members, inspiring women and personalities who support the idea of greater visibility, recognition and opportunities for women.

Thank you to everyone who came.

The participants of the panel discussions Lilia Khousnoutdinova Michaela Hrdličková Veronika Lipovská and Ondrej Dvoulety.

For a fantastic singing performance to singer Nate Bogner

Thank you to our partners who support WCWA not only with their logo, but with their trust, time, know-how and specific resources.

Thank you to the jury and everyone who accepted the responsibility of seeking and appreciating the real impact.

And thank you to the whole team, because behind every beautiful evening there is a lot of work that is never visible in the photos.

Women Changing the World Awards are not just awards for me.

They are a platform to help women be seen, make new connections, open doors, and show society stories and work that are worth paying attention to.
We took the first step together in this year’s competition.

And now the most interesting part begins.

Nominations are open. Nominate and nominate yourself for www.wcwa.cz

Watch the Video with highlights from the event

On Sunday, September 6, the Romanian community in Prague celebrated the XII edition of the Celebration of Romanians in the Czech Republic – a soulful event, which, after a two-year break, returned with the same energy, emotion, and joy that always bring people together.

At the invitation of the Ambassador of Romania, H.E. Mrs. Antoaneta Barta was present at the opening of the event, and Mrs.Barbora Urbanova, vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies and president of the Czech-Romania Friendship Group within the Czech Parliament, whose participation represented a first and another beautiful opportunity to strengthen traditional ties with friendship and collaboration between Romania and the Czech Republic.

In the particularly welcoming atmosphere of the Ethnographic Section of the National Museum of the Czech Republic in Kinský Garden, the public enjoyed a special cultural program of traditional music and dances, activities for children, cultural exhibitions and presentations, as well as the delicious specialties of traditional gastronomy and Romanian wines.

The big crowd was a mix of  Romanians of all ages, families, children and young people, but also numerous Czech and international friends, lovers of Romanian culture.

The friendly atmosphere, openness and joy of being together made this day a true celebration of community.

The event was organized by the Association of Romanians in the Czech Republic (ARRC), under the patronage of the Romanian Embassy in the Czech Republic, in collaboration with Prague 5 City Hall, the National Museum of the Czech Republic, the Prichindeilor Library and the Moldoveni.cz Association, with the financial support of the Department for Romanians Everywhere.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the organization of this special day and to all who came to celebrate together the beauty of Romanian culture and traditions.

Watch the Video with highlights from the event

H.E. Mr. Pichit BOONSUD, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand, and his spouse, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand organized a Thai traditional market to celebrate the enduring friendship between the people of the Kingdom of Thailand and the people of the Czech Republic at the historic Pisecka Brana in Prague 6.

The event was honored by Mr. Igor Cerveny, Minister of Environment, many ambassadors, and distinguished guests..

In the cultural part, there was a Thai traditional music and dance performance.

The guests and the public enjoyed the Thai food and cultural activity and got information about Thai Tourism.

Welcome and thank you, Thailand

ยินดีต้อนรับและขอบคุณประเทศไทย

Hundreds of hazardous containers filled with chemicals remain in the Šumava National Park. As early as 2023, experts recommended beginning immediate remediation, but this never took place.

A new survey conducted this year confirmed extensive soil contamination and serious risks to human health and the environment. The chemicals are carcinogenic and can damage the reproductive, developmental, hormonal, and immune systems. Some of the substances found also pose a significant risk to groundwater quality. The site must be decontaminated immediately. Until remediation begins, the Czech Police will guard the area, and the Czech Army will also assist in securing it. The Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of the Interior will collaborate to resolve the situation.

“A serious failure has occurred. The ministry’s leadership, headed by Petr Hladík, was aware of the safety risk, yet took no action despite recommendations from experts dating back to 2023. Through its inaction, it endangered the lives of the citizens of the Czech Republic. Hundreds of hazardous containers remained at the site within the Šumava National Park for another three years, and part of their contents continued to leak. After discovering the true extent of the problem, I therefore immediately ordered a supplementary investigation to be launched. We will not wait for further leaks of hazardous substances to occur; protecting the public, water, and the environment is an absolute priority for our government,” said Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic Igor Červený.

The first containers of chemicals were found at the site as early as May 26, 2023, and a survey and remediation work were carried out there in June. DEKONTA Company comprehensive final remediation report from late August 2023 recommended remediating the entire site as soon as possible. Among other reasons, this was due to the poor condition of the pressure drums and other containers holding chemicals, some of which are located immediately below the surface.

However, a comprehensive remediation of the site did not take place in the following years.

New Survey Confirms Extent of Contamination

A supplementary survey conducted in 2026 confirmed that dozens of small drums, pressure drums, 200-liter containers, ampoules, and other chemical waste are still present at the site. There are approximately 80 to 100 metal drums, 70 to 100 pressure drums, and 10 large-volume containers with liquid contents in the subsoil. There may be additional layers of buried drums beneath the current containers in the subsoil.

Laboratory analyses confirmed the presence of dioxins and furans, mercury, arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chloroform, tetrachloromethane, chlorinated hydrocarbons, chlorobenzenes, and petroleum hydrocarbons.

Dioxins and furans are among the most toxic and persistent chemical substances. They are carcinogenic and damage the reproductive, developmental, endocrine, and immune systems. Some of the substances found also pose a significant risk to groundwater. The Ministry of the Environment will therefore investigate whether groundwater has been contaminated. Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons can migrate through the rock environment and create long-term sources of contamination.

Safety Risks

A significant risk is the possibility of fire. The thermal decomposition of certain chlorinated solvents can produce highly toxic gases. One such gas is phosgene, a chemical warfare agent and an extremely toxic asphyxiant. Heating volatile substances can lead to increased pressure in containers and, in extreme cases, to their explosion.

At the same time, for some of the barrels, the presence of substances that may be chemical warfare agents cannot be ruled out. In the event of a fire, contamination could spread through fly ash. Furthermore, firefighting water could force hazardous substances deeper into the rock formation and endanger groundwater.

Remediation will begin this year and continue through 2028

Remediation of the site will proceed in stages through 2028. Approximately 200 million crowns will be allocated for the project.

The first phase will focus on the highest-risk part of the site and the removal of approximately 200 drums and other containers. The second phase will include the removal of contaminated soil, a detailed hydrogeological survey, and other work aimed at the complete decontamination of the entire site.

The area will be guarded by the police, and the military will also be involved

Due to security risks, the site will be secured and guarded by the Police of the Czech Republic from September 7 to 21—that is, before cleanup work begins—and will subsequently be connected via technical means to the police’s integrated operations center.

These security measures are necessary, among other reasons, due to the possibility of other hazardous objects being present. The presence of landmines cannot be ruled out either. A landmine was found as early as 2023, which is why a pyrotechnic unit of the Czech Army will be involved in securing the site.

The Ministry of Defense will ensure the security of the site for the removal of hazardous waste, and the Ministry of the Interior will assist in securing the site. The Ministry of the Environment will oversee remediation and survey work.

The ministries will coordinate their efforts jointly. A criminal complaint will be filed.

A steering and coordination group led by the Ministry of the Environment will oversee the resolution of the entire situation; it will meet regularly with representatives of all affected ministries and institutions. The Ministry of the Environment will submit a proposal for a budgetary measure to finance the cleanup.

In connection with the actions of the former leadership of the Ministry of the Environment, a criminal complaint will be filed against an unknown perpetrator. The Ministry of the Environment will also investigate who is responsible for the fact that, despite experts’ recommendations, the cleanup was not initiated, and further leaks of hazardous substances occurred over the next three years, during which containers were found with as little as one-third of their contents remaining.

En esta segunda entrega de nuestra serie, seguimos el recorrido de Beethoven por Bohemia, donde escribió la Séptima, la Octava y comenzó la Novena; dejó tres versiones de la carta a su Amada Inmortal sin enviar; evitó a la élite, pero se refugió en tabernas ruidosas; paseó con Goethe y se sintió más importante que el emperador. Praga no recibió una pieza como Für Elise, pero sí una sinfonía tácita e íntima: la del Beethoven más humano y más libre.

See more here.

Photo: Filip Jandourek, Czech Radio

Among the events marking the 90th anniversary of Václav Havel’s birth in October will be the festival Havel ALIVE. Taking place at Prague Castle, it will showcase theatre, film, design and music connected to the late democracy leader.

The venue for Havel ALIVE will be the Prague Castle complex, and the head of the Office of the President, Milan Vašina, explains the thinking behind the festival.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Dan Materna, MF DNES + LN / Profimedia

Otto Jelinek, who was born in Prague but spent almost all of his life in Canada, has died at the age of 86. Jelinek was a world champion figure skater for Canada, became a government minister – and later in life served as his adopted country’s ambassador to the Czech Republic.

The Jelinek family had had a successful business in Czechoslovakia producing corks and beer bottle tops for European markets.

Read our interview with Mr. Jelinek from 2013.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Jana Myslivečková, Czech Radio

Hana Zagorová, one of the country’s most popular singers and a nine-time winner of the Golden Nightingale award would have turned 80 on September 6. She died in August of 2022, shortly after her 75th birthday. She left behind an extensive musical legacy – 11 million records sold, 800 songs recorded of which almost 100 lyrics were her own.

Hana Zagorová (1946–2022) was one of the most popular and enduring Czech singers of the second half of the 20th century.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Archive of National Museum

This Tuesday marks the 185th anniversary of the birth of Antonín Dvořák, one of the Czech music greats. To mark the occasion, the Antonín Dvořák Museum is giving visitors a rare chance to see one of his original manuscripts, the autograph score of his opera The Jacobin. Ruth Fraňková went to see it.

The Jacobin is set in a small Czech town during the French Revolution.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Kateřina Šulová, ČTK

This unconventional race through the centre of the Czech capital attracts runners of all ability levels. This year, 9,500 runners from 98 countries took part, including elite athletes from the Czech Republic, Kenya and Ethiopia.

See more here.

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest composers in history, had a strong connection to the Czech spa town of Teplice. He went there seeking refuge from Vienna’s aristocratic elite and a place to focus on his music. Although the baths could not help his deafness, he found peace to compose some of his important works.

See more here.

Photo: Michal Krumphanzl, ČTK

A rare fragment containing part of the Gospel of Saint Mark has left Prague for the first time in almost 700 years. Brought to the Czech lands by Charles IV, the fragment has now returned to Italy, where it will be reunited with the other surviving parts of the manuscript.

The manuscript, known as the Forojulian Gospels, was probably written near Ravenna in the first half of the sixth century.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Elena Horálková, Czech Radio

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, Jaromil Jireš’s famous 1970 film based on Vítězslav Nezval’s novel, premiered in a newly restored version at the Venice Film Festival on Monday. The poetic, dreamlike film, blending Gothic horror, surrealism and coming-of-age story, is also competing in the Venice Classics section. We spoke about the film, its making and its reception with Michal Bregant, Director of the National Film Archive.

For those who haven’t seen the film, could you first tell us a bit about it? What kind of film is it and what makes it so distinctive?.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Dvořákova Praha Festival

The 19th edition of the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival gets under way this Saturday at the Rudolfinum, bringing together leading orchestras, soloists and conductors from around the world. I spoke to festival director Jan Simon about this year’s programme and what audiences can look forward to, starting with the curtain raiser.

“The Filarmonica della Scala is the orchestra that is going to open the festival under the baton of the very famous conductor Ricardo Chailly, and the soloist will be cellist Julia Hagen.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Profimedia

Did he jump or was he pushed? The death of former Czechoslovak foreign minister Jan Masaryk, who fell from his apartment window at Prague’s Černín Palace in 1948, remains unexplained nearly 80 years after his demise. Forensic experts have now exhumed his remains, and a new examination could shed more light on the circumstances of his tragic death.

Jan Masaryk’s dead body was found beneath the window of his apartment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the early hours of March 4th, 1948, only weeks after the Communist takeover of the country.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Martina Kutková, Radio Prague International

A previously lost play by Václav Havel, Warning, will soon get its first performance, in connection with the 90th anniversary of his birth. The torso of the piece was found by David Dušek, the grandson of Havel’s friend Zdeněk Urbánek. Indeed, it comes from the same Urbánek estate as Havel texts published in recent years as Notes of the Accused, a 1977 prison diary, and I Hid it Somewhere. Warning was completed by director and actor Jiří Havelka of Prague’s Dejvice Theatre – who describes his involvement.

“David Dušek found out that the text was partly Temptation, the future play Temptation, and a future Vaněk play.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Sabina Vosecká, Czech Radio

A new mural has been unveiled on Kostnické Square in Prague’s Žižkov district. Created by Polish artist NeSpoon, it is inspired by traditional Czech lace. Ruth Fraňková went to have a look.

The artwork, which was unveiled on Monday evening, covers two walls of a former transformer station with an intricate white lace pattern set against a pink background.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

Václav Bartuška is today Czechia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. He first came to public attention as a student leader during the Velvet Revolution. Soon after he was tasked with investigating Czechoslovakia’s recently deposed StB secret police, a subject the then journalist covered in a best-selling book. More recently, Bartuška served for nearly two decades as the Czech government’s envoy for energy security – and we discussed all of these chapters in his fascinating life at our studios in Prague.

“I was never beaten during my interrogations.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the Czech Republic, H.E. Ms. Albesjana Iberhysaj-Kapitaj, hosted Mr. Adam Vojtěch, Minister of Health of the Czech Republic, as the guest of honor at a working breakfast with the Women Ambassadors’ Group in Prague.

The gathering brought together Heads of Mission from Kosovo, Canada, Spain, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union, Croatia, Norway, Denmark, North Macedonia, the Netherlands, Colombia and Estonia, providing a diverse diplomatic setting for an open and substantive exchange.

The discussion focused on current priorities in healthcare, shared challenges facing health systems, and opportunities to strengthen international cooperation and partnerships further.

The exchange of experiences and perspectives highlighted the importance of dialogue and cooperation in addressing common challenges and advancing effective health policies.

The pair came to Prague Zoo from the Pilsen Zoo, but the female was originally bred in Prague. When they fully got used to the quarters, the keepers gradually allowed them to enter the tunnel, from where they could observe the outdoor enclosure. These days, they are already making their first timid expeditions to it. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

A shaggy appearance, unmistakable sexual dimorphism, or female dominance. Prague Zoo is breeding dark lemurs again after a ten-year hiatus. The contrastingly colored pair is currently curiously exploring the island opposite the large turtles at the lower cable car station. The same place was originally inhabited by white-banded ring-tailed lemurs, which were recently reunited with ring-tailed lemurs.

“There are never enough lemurs, so our efforts have recently been directed at freeing up the island enclosure at the lower cable car station,” says Jan Mengr, curator of primates at Prague Zoo. The plan called for moving the white-banded ring-tailed lemurs to the ring-tailed lemur island. The union was successful. “Thanks to the union of the ring-tailed lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs, we were able to offer the empty space to another endangered endemic of the island of Madagascar, the dark lemurs, and thus diversify the species composition of Prague Zoo.”

The newly arrived individuals of the old-new species first got used to the indoor exhibit. “They immediately started exploring all the nooks and crannies. Without any fear of the unknown, they even climbed into the hut. They also paid attention to the bamboo and dry grass. It is not unusual for animals to choose a place where they feel safest in the first few days and just observe their surroundings,” describes Prague Zoo primate keeper Nikola Kučerová.

Source: Kristýna Marková, Radio Prague International

What better way for a radio station to celebrate its 90th birthday than together with its listeners? Enjoy today’s special birthday program, where the main stars are our listeners from around the world.

90 years ago, Radio Prague International was created as a strategic weapon against Nazi propaganda.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: ŠTETL FEST

For five days, Štetl Fest brought Jewish culture, history and contemporary debates to Brno and the surrounding region. At a time when the war in Gaza has contributed to growing tensions around Jewish life elsewhere in Europe, Director of the Herzel Center for Israel Studies Irena Kalhousová told RPI’s Vít Pohanka Czechia remains something of a “unicorn”.

In Irena Kalhousová’s view, the situation facing Jewish communities internationally has changed significantly since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Foto: Ilegal

La auténtica comida mexicana no solo triunfa en Praga. En Brno, la capital morava y segunda ciudad más grande del país, hay varios restaurantes especializados en la comida de ese país que tienen gran acogida entre el público local. Pero ninguno tan auténtico y arriesgado como Ilegal, que acaba de obtener el codiciado Sello M de México, que premia la calidad y autenticidad. Hablamos con el chef de Ilegal, Alejandro Pérez Roa.

Cocina de barrio.

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Author: Gonzalo Núñez

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had a particularly close relationship with Prague. He first visited the city in 1787, where his music was already hugely popular. He returned the following year to conduct and perform his opera Don Giovanni, which premiered at Prague’s Estates Theatre. Mozart reportedly loved the city and its audiences, famously remarking: “My Praguers understand me.”

See more here.

Photo: Prague City Council

One of Czechia’s best-known religious symbols is heading to Ireland. A specially dressed copy of the Infant Jesus of Prague is being given to the Diocese of Kerry to mark Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Archbishop of Prague, Stanislav Přibyl, blessed the new copy of the Infant Jesus of Prague earlier this week at the residence of Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Source: Fotoatlas rostlin

For eight years, professional botanists and enthusiastic amateurs across Czechia have been working on an ambitious project: a comprehensive photographic atlas of the country’s wild plants. Around 3,300 plants will be represented by some 10,000 photographs, along with distribution maps and information to help readers identify them. With the final field season now under way, the team hopes to publish the atlas in 2028.

There are plenty of books that can help you identify a flower growing beside a Czech country road or a tree in the forest.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Michaela Danelová, Czech Radio

Czechia’s education system faces a major demographic shift. While some schools are still struggling with a shortage of places, a sharp decline in births means others could eventually have too few pupils. Education policy analyst Nikola Šrámková says the impact will vary considerably across the country, potentially forcing smaller municipalities to rethink how their schools are organised.

At first sight, there seems to be a contradiction.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

On August 31, 1936, at 10:00 a.m., a Czech signal travelled from Prague to the world for the very first time. The broadcast was opened in English by Eduard Svoboda, technical director of Radiojournal — marking the beginning of an era that has now lasted nine decades.

See more here.

Photo: Ondřej Hájek, ČTK

The European Truck Racing Championship and NASCAR Euro Series drew 46,600 fans to Most over the weekend. Both Czech favourites, Adam Lacko (pictured) and Martin Doubek, finished third in their respective categories.

See more here.

Photo: Karel Štoll, ČTK

Petr Novák’s unmistakeable, delicate tenor voice is synonymous with Czechoslovak society of the late 1960s. This talented musician shot to fame in this country at the time of the Prague Spring, when his gentle love songs influenced by Western pop groups like The Beatles were hugely popular among young Czechs.

Born in Prague in 1945, he grew up in a family deeply affected by the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

Czech Radio’s international service is celebrating its 90th anniversary. What is Radio Prague International like today? How has it changed and who are the people behind it?

Radio Prague International has been the voice of the Czech Republic around the world for 90 years.

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Author: Jaromír Marek

Photo: Rudolf Jureček, CHKO Soutok

Despite the rainier days in the second half of August, the Czech Republic continues to face a long-term moisture deficit. One solution that can significantly help combat drought is beaver dams.

Soutok Protected Landscape Area is located at Czechia’s border with Austria and Slovakia, close to the town of Břeclav.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Jakub Koumar, Chomutov Municipal Theatre

A boomer sitting next to a Gen Alpha kid, both clapping at the same performance — this is what it might look like at the intergenerational festival Obnaženi (Uncovered) in the town of Chomutov. Its aim is to bring generations together, and that is reflected not only in the audience but also on stage.

The 21st edition of the Obnaženi festival will focus this year on intergenerational themes, ranging from contemporary dance and theatre to music and film, as well as visual arts and public discussions.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Eduardo Munoz, Reuters

The Czech tennis players Jakub Menšík and Karolína Muchová have won the mixed doubles title at the US Open, claiming their first Grand Slam title. The pair had only entered the tournament on a wild card – and earned a USD 1 million prize.

The victory comes just three days before the start of the US Open singles tournament, where Muchová will be seeded seventh and Menšík 17th.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International

American Karen Kruger grew up without knowing that her mother was Jewish or that she had escaped Czechoslovakia as a child on a Kindertransport. Her search for the family history eventually led to the documentary Letters from Brno and back to the places where generations of the Placzek family had lived. At this year’s ŠTETL FEST, Kruger is once again in South Moravia – and says that after years of returning, Brno increasingly feels like home.

For much of her childhood, Karen Kruger knew remarkably little about her mother’s past.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors at Prague Castle on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

H.E. Ms. Vibeke Rovsing Lauritzen, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Denmark, based in Prague

H.E. Mrs. Jane Charlotte Coombs, the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of New Zealand, based in Berlin

H.E. Mr. Philipp Charwath, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria, based in Prague

Photo: Zuzana Bönisch, KPR

Source

A Przewalski’s horse foal has been born in central Kazakhstan after hundreds of years. Its parents are the mare Tessa, originally from Tierpark Berlin, and the stallion Zorro, bred at the Prague Zoo. Both arrived in the country in June 2024 during the first of three transports of Przewalski’s horses to the Golden Steppe, organized by the Prague Zoo and its partners. According to initial observations, the little colt is hardy and regularly drinks milk from his mother. Together with other mares, he is currently living in an acclimatization pen at the Alibi reintroduction center on the edge of the Altyn Dala state reserve. The horses are being cared for on site by colleagues from the Association for the Protection of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK).

“The birth of the foal is one of many steps on the path to the successful reintroduction of this species into the wild of Kazakhstan, but it is a crucial milestone and also a very joyful and tangible one,” said Lenka Poliaková, director of Prague Zoo. “Restore a viable population of an extinct species in its original habitat is an exhausting mission full of challenges. But such news gives everyone involved in the Return of Wild Horses project the necessary energy to continue their efforts,” she adds.

The foal is the first Przewalski’s horse in the area from which the last wild horse on the planet disappeared more than 200 years ago. The main reason for its extinction was hunting and pressure from farmers and pet breeders.

“A Przewalski’s horse foal with Czech blood was born in the Golden Steppe, and I wish him a happy life and many siblings and, in the future, offspring. Only then will the Return of Wild Horses project, which is the flagship of Prague Zoo’s conservation initiatives, be truly successful. I would like to take this opportunity to thank once again not only our zoo team for the demanding transports, but also its visitors, because 8 CZK from each ticket goes to biodiversity protection projects,” says Jana Komrsková, Deputy Mayor of Prague for the Environment.

The foal was born on August 22. This is only the first offspring of seven-year-old Tessa, but she takes exemplary care of him. He is constantly close to him, energetically defends him from the interests of other mares, and regularly lets him drink his mother’s milk.

“The first foal was born thanks to a huge amount of work that began long before the horses arrived in Kazakhstan. Preparing the territory and infrastructure, organizing the complex logistics needed to transport the animals, acclimatizing them, daily monitoring and care provided by specialists – all this was necessary for the horses to successfully adapt. Now we have a new task: to watch how the first Przewalski horses born on Kazakh soil grow and strengthen. We hope that this first generation is the beginning of a self-sufficient population,” says ACBK Director Vera Voronova.

In addition, more foals could be added to Kazakhstan in the coming weeks. Two other mares at the Alibi reintroduction center are also expected to give birth.

The news in the new mother’s original home caused extraordinary joy: “Tessa was born in Berlin and was transported to Kazakhstan in 2024. The birth of her foal is a truly exceptional and important step for us in the long-term effort to reintroduce the Przewalski’s horse,” says Christian Kern, Zoological Director of Tierpark Berlin and Zoo Berlin. “Reintroducing wild animals into their natural habitat carries with it responsibility, challenges and risks. We are all the more pleased with this success and would like to thank all our partners very much.”

The Przewalski’s horse is the last living species of wild horse. The Western world only learned of its existence in 1881. Less than a hundred years later, in the 1960s, it was exterminated in the wild. It was saved thanks to human-assisted breeding, with Prague Zoo playing a key role in its rescue. Since 1959, it has been running the international studbook of Przewalski’s horses. Today, it is also the organizer of horse transports from Europe to their original homeland – specifically to the steppes and semi-deserts of Mongolia and Kazakhstan – in cooperation with the Air Force of the Czech Republic.

After the successful reintroduction to the Great Gobi in Mongolia, Prague Zoo began transports to the Golden Steppe in Kazakhstan in 2024, in cooperation with the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Hortobágy National Park, Nuremberg Zoo, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the aforementioned ACBK and Tierpark Berlin.

More about Return of the Wild Horses: https://www.zoopraha.cz/navrat-divokych-koni

Photo: The first photo of a Przewalski’s horse foal born in central Kazakhstan. Photo by Kanat Batyrkhanuly, ACBK

New Apostolic Nuncio Eugene Martin Nugent will arrive in Czechia on Thursday, September 3, where he will be welcomed by Czech and Moravian bishops at Prague’s Archbishop’s Palace. Pope Leo XIV appointed the Irish diplomat as the Vatican’s representative to Czechia on May 25.

The nuncio represents the Holy See in Czechia and serves as a link between the pope and the local Catholic Church. His predecessor, Jude Thaddeus Okolo, left the post in February to become the Vatican’s ambassador to Haiti.

Nugent was born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1983. He became a bishop in 2010.

Foto: archivo personal de Petra Smutná

En 2021, decidió crear una comunidad para unir las culturas hispana y checa. Además trabaja en la embajada de Perú y se recibió de antropóloga con una tesis muy crítica sobre la comercialización de la cultura latina en Chequia a través de la salsa. Con semejante experiencia, en esta charla con RPI, Petra Smutná nos brinda su punto de vista sobre el siempre estimulante vínculo entre hispanos y checos.

Le encanta trabajar en la embajada de Perú porque allí realiza tareas muy dinámicas.

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Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Source: ŠTETL FEST

Brno’s ŠTETL FEST returns for its fifth edition from August 26 to 30, bringing together history and memory with contemporary Jewish culture, music, theatre and debate. This year’s theme, Returns, focuses on descendants of Jewish families coming back to Brno and on restoring forgotten stories to the places where they unfolded. At the heart of the festival is the site of the Great Synagogue, destroyed by the Nazis in 1939, which will once again become a gathering place filled with music, conversation and Jewish life.

ŠTETL FEST is an international multi-genre festival of Jewish culture, but its organisers deliberately interpret that description broadly.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Michaela Danelová, iROZHLAS.cz

August 21, 1968, went down in Czechoslovak history as the day that Soviet-led Warsaw Pact troops crushed the Prague Spring reforms and the hopes of millions of people yearning for freedom and democracy. At a solemn ceremony outside the Czech Radio building, political leaders laid wreaths to honor those who lost their lives in the invasion and highlighted the role of free media – then and now.

Twenty years after the Communist Party seized power in Czechoslovakia in February 1948, the Prague Spring emerged after a dark period – a time of hope and belief in a better future that, however, lasted only a very short time.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Crystal Valley Week

Crystal chandeliers, monumental glass sculptures, jewellery, fashion shows and even a tram transformed into a kind of Orient Express. For six days, the northern Czech city of Liberec is celebrating a material that has shaped this region for centuries. Crystal Valley Week brings contemporary glass art into galleries, workshops and public spaces across the city, turning Liberec into a showcase for the past and present of Czech glassmaking.

Crystal Valley Week brings contemporary glass art into galleries, workshops and public spaces across the city.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Barbora Němcová, Radio Prague International

The success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance has done more than put medieval Bohemia on computer screens around the world. Players are increasingly travelling to the real places depicted in the game, including Sázava and its medieval monastery. Jan Kremer, game historian at Charles University and National Film Institute (NFÚ) researcher says games can inspire people to explore history – but understanding how they construct their version of the past may be just as important as asking whether every detail is accurate.

For centuries, the Sázava Monastery attracted pilgrims, historians and visitors interested in one of the oldest monastic centres in the Czech lands.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Zoo Liberec

A sea lion died at a zoo in the north Bohemian city of Liberec at the weekend after part of a child’s toy evidently got stuck in its gullet. Two other sea lions also died by choking at the institution in the past.

A large male South American sea lion named Hugo was found dead in its pool at Liberec Zoom by a member of staff on Saturday morning.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Josef Beneda, Czech Radio

A concrete plant on Prague’s Rohan Island, between Prague’s Karlín and Libeň districts, could soon become an urban farm. Local councillors have put forward a new plan for the site, which includes growing areas, a greenhouse and a new lookout point.

Rohan Island is one of those parts of Prague that many people pass without really noticing.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Botanický ústav Akademie věd

Czech scientists have launched an international project to save the critically endangered Jurinea cyanoides, a plant that is considered to be a remnant of the Ice Age. It can still be found in a few remaining locations in the Czech Republic and Germany, and is still present in Ukraine. Botanists from all three countries are collaborating on the project, called LIFE for Jurinea.

The critically endangered Jurinea cyanoides is a flower with purplish-pink blooms resembling cornflowers or small thistles, with woolly, silver-grey leaf undersides.

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Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Petr Skřivánek, ČTK

National harvest celebrations, such as those held within the Země živitelka agricultural fair in South Bohemia (pictured), traditionally feature not only agricultural machinery exhibitions but also various folk events.

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Photo: Jitka Doubravová, Czech Radio

Horseback archery is slowly finding its place in the Czech Republic, thanks to enthusiasts like Oldřich Pítra. He organizes international workshops and runs his own club in the hope that this still relatively fringe sport could one day make it to the Olympic Games.

Horseback archery or mounted archery has seen a resurgence in the world in the last decade or two but in the Czech Republic it is still restricted to a circle of diehard enthusiasts.

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Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Jindřich Nosek, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Pavel Brázda, one of the most distinctive and independent Czech painters of the 20th century, was born in Brno on August 21, 1926.

Pavel Brázda developed his artistic ideas during the 1940s, a period marked by war and major political change in Czechoslovakia.

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Photo: APF Czech Radio

From Čapek and Einstein to Protectorate-era hockey and OMD. Dive into the 90-year history of international broadcasting that shaped the image of Czechoslovakia around the world and became the voice of hope, art and political propaganda.

It was Christmas Eve 1937 when writer Karel Čapek and inventor František Křižík spoke over the airwaves.

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Author: Jaromír Marek