AuthorMartin Hladík

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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

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.

See more here.

Author: Jaromír Marek

Photo: University of West Bohemia in Plzeň

A team of archaeologists led by researchers from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen are investigating a sanctuary near the village of Chleby in the Nymburk region. The more than 6,500-year-old structure served as a ritual site linked to the movements of the Sun and Moon.

Around 6,500 years ago, people built an almost circular enclosure at what is now Chleby, measuring 230 metres in diameter.

See more here.

Photo: Zdeněk Trnka, Czech Radio

A damaged statue of an angel, believed to have inspired one of Karel Kryl’s best-known songs, is returning to the western Bohemian town of Ostrov. It will go on display in the local church on August 21, the anniversary of the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Karel Kryl’s Anděl, or Angel, is one of the iconic tracks from his legendary 1969 debut album Bratříčku, zavírej vrátka, released in response to the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Khalil Baalbaki, Czech Radio

Czech Radio’s international broadcasting service was once one of the main sources of information about Czechoslovakia abroad, and it annually received thousands of letters from listeners the world over. A portion of this rich, multilingual archive, currently on display in the foyer of Czech Radio, reflects the tragic events of 1968.

The year 1968 was an extraordinary period for the international broadcasting service of Czechoslovak Radio.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

The male sea lion is still fully dependent on its mother’s milk. He will only start tasting fish next year. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

A young South African sea lion, which was born at the Prague Zoo on June 5, was introduced to visitors on 19 August 2026. The male occupied the exhibit near the main entrance. The breeders gave him the name Jabulani, which comes from South African Zulu and can be loosely translated as “bringing joy”. People can see the little pinniped in the Prague Zoo after seven years. The great-grandson of the famous Gaston can be seen every morning except Fridays, when the sea lions are cleaned in the large exhibition pool.

“The first days of the cub’s life were dramatic, because the female Daisy apparently did not have enough breast milk and did not show too much interest in her offspring. The male survived only thanks to the continuous care of the veterinarian and breeders, who decided to give the otherwise tenacious cub a chance,” says Prague Zoo director Lenka Poliaková.

The baby sea lion is very playful. His favorite pastime is sucking his own fins or catching drops of water. In the picture with Jakub Mezei, chief sea lion breeder of the Prague Zoo. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Breeding now takes place naturally: the situation changed about a week after birth. “Daisy’s maternal instinct was awakened along with lactation, and now we can all watch how the two-month-old male explores the enclosure alongside his mother,” adds Jakub Mezei, chief sea lion keeper at the Prague Zoo.

South African sea lions are born on land and learn to swim from their mothers. Due to the local absence of a gradual entry into the water or sea tidal ponds, where the cubs get to know the water in nature, Jabulani was gradually given different-sized tubs in the background of the zoo. At the beginning of August, he already dared to go to the big pool.

“Every cub that is born in the Prague Zoo is a small miracle. And this is doubly true for sea lions, because their upbringing is not easy. I am very happy that the little male is doing well. Now he can enjoy the pool, the water, and also his new audience. I wish him good health and a lot of joy from the sea lion’s antics,” said the deputy mayor of Prague today. City of Prague for the environment, Jana Komrsková.

A baby sea lion climbs out of a large exposure pool. After birth, it weighed 4,510 grams, now it weighs exactly 14 kilograms, so the male has already tripled his weight. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Jabulani’s father is the male Eda, who went to the zoo in Rostock, Germany last year because of a genetic mutation. Since the Prague Zoo prides itself on successful breeding numbers, it would be very difficult to find other unrelated females for Ed. For over a year, a teenage male Oslo, originally from the Belgian Pairi Daizy, has been living in the Prague Zoo, and he is expected to become the father of more cubs in the future.

Prague Zoo currently keeps five sea lions. In addition to the male Osla, there are also females Abeba, Ronja, and the aforementioned Daisy with Jabulani. The youngest addition will find a home in another zoo in the future. Sea lions live in harems led by one dominant male.

Prague Zoo is the only breeder of South African sea lions in the Czech Republic. Currently, this species is kept in only 16 zoos in the EU. This is not much compared to other well-known sea lion species – for example, the maned sea lion inhabits 32 zoos in the EU, and the California sea lion can even be found in 64 European institutions.

The public can design objects for a mission to the International Space Station. It will be possible to submit proposals using the form on the Czech Journey to Space website https://ceskacestadovesmiru.cz/co-vzit-na-iss/ from August 19 to September 18, 2026.

What should represent the Czech Republic hundreds of kilometers above the Earth? An object reminiscent of Czech history, a scientific discovery, a cultural tradition, a sporting success or something completely different? The Czech Journey to Space national project is opening a public call in which people can design objects that Czech astronaut and project astronaut of the European Space Agency (ESA) Aleš Svoboda could take with him to the International Space Station (ISS) next year. The public thus gets the opportunity to become part of the preparations for the Czech mission, which is scheduled to start next year.

After all, not only scientific experiments and technology fly into space with astronauts. Space missions are traditionally also accompanied by small objects that tell the stories of countries, institutions and the astronauts themselves. In the past, all kinds of symbols got into orbit – from national flags and medals to sports, cultural or personal objects. Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang took a traditional Dalecarlian horse into orbit, American astronaut Cady Coleman took four flutes to the ISS, astronaut Mark Polansky took a teddy bear into space reminiscent of the story of a Holocaust survivor. Krteček, who American astronaut Andrew Feustel took with him on his mission, also left a Czech footprint in space. Sometimes it is a national symbol, other times a piece of history, culture or a seemingly ordinary thing with a strong story. Now the Czech Republic will also have the opportunity to search for similar objects.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, which coordinates the national project Czech Journey to Space, perceives symbolic objects as another dimension of the mission, which, in addition to scientific experiments and technological projects, will also enable Czech history, culture and values ​​to be transferred into orbit.

“The Czech mission to the ISS will show that we have top companies, universities and research teams that can withstand even the most demanding international projects. But we don’t want it to be just a mission of scientists and technicians. We want to involve the whole country in it. That’s why we’re giving the public the opportunity to choose a Czech story or symbol that will fly with Aleš Svoboda. Even a small object can carry a strong message about what the Czech Republic can do and what we can be proud of,” says the 1st Vice President government and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček.

The Ministry of Defense and the Army of the Czech Republic fully support the Czech mission. Aleš Svoboda is a graduate of the Defense University and an experienced combat pilot who, if approved by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), whose decisions are taken by consensus of all five partners of the International Space Station, will prepare for the mission as a pilot. At the same time, his career path points to wide possibilities of professional application in the field of aviation, modern technologies and other specializations.

“I am pleased that it is Aleš Svoboda who, as part of the Czech mission, should also transport symbolic objects selected with the public’s contribution to the ISS. His expected position in the crew is also a confirmation of the high level that we have been building in the field of military aviation for a long time. Managing complex systems, managing crisis scenarios or making decisions under extreme pressure are skills that Aleš acquired and developed during his professional career. His journey thus shows not only the attractiveness and prestige of military professions, but also extraordinary possibilities that we can offer. I believe that this story can inspire young people who are thinking about their studies and future career paths,” says Minister of Defense Jaromír Zůna.

What would you send to the ISS?

It will be possible to submit proposals using the form on the Czech Journey to Space website https://ceskacestadovesmiru.cz/co-vzit-na-iss/ from August 19 to September 18, 2026. It can be an object connected with Czech history, a reminder of a scientific or technological achievement, a cultural symbol, a sporting legacy, a craft tradition or perhaps something that describes the current Czech Republic and of which we can be proud as a country. It does not have to be a rare or expensive item. More important is his story – and what he can tell people at home and around the world about the Czech Republic.

Of course, whether the object can be safely transported to the ISS will also play a role in the assessment. Therefore, a small and light object that is visually interesting, has an understandable story and can work well in a photo or video is ideal. It will also be an advantage to be able to use it after returning to Earth for educational events, in schools, museums or on other occasions connected with the Czech mission.

From idea to orbit

The Public Challenge is not a competition for one winning item. It is an opportunity to collect ideas from the public, or to find a unique object that could represent the Czech Republic and its story during the mission to the ISS.

Proposals from the public will be assessed by an expert team in collaboration with ESA, taking into account their story, symbolism, feasibility and the rules applicable to objects transported to the ISS. The space on board and the weight of individual items are limited, so each item must pass a technical and safety assessment. Sending a proposal does not automatically mean that the given object will fly into space.

“The mole showed that even a small and seemingly ordinary object can tell a powerful Czech story in space. This time we want to give space to people from all over the country to say for themselves what they think is worth taking with them. It can be something connected to history, science, culture or even everyday life. It is important that such an object can tell something about the Czech Republic and people beyond its borders,” explains Václav Kobera, coordinator of the national project Czech Way to space.

The objects planned for the Czech mission will be presented to the public in November 2026 during the festival of space activities Czech Space Week 2026.

On the way to the Czech mission to the ISS

The public call comes at a time when preparations for the Czech mission to the ISS are moving towards concrete steps before the flight itself. Aleš Svoboda has completed basic astronaut training at the European Space Agency (ESA) and is preparing for subsequent specific training related to the Czech mission.

Simultaneously, the preparations of thirteen Czech scientific and technological experiments, which are to be part of the mission program, continue. It is the connection of science, technology, Czech industry, education and public involvement that should be one of the main links of the upcoming Czech journey to the ISS.

26. 08. 2026, 18:00 – 22:00, Mandarin Oriental – Nebovidská 459/1, 118 00, Mala Strana

You are cordially invited to the 11th edition of Art of Sharing, this time in the form of a summer garden party/ We’re ready for any weather!

What to look forward to:

• Networking & summer atmosphere with a DJ
  • Silent auction supporting the Children’s Psychiatry Department at Motol Hospital.
  • Design lounge by
  • – a residential project in harmony with nature
  • Culinary experiences
  • Curated tasting of Sunshine Rosé, wines by , premium Cognac by , selected whiskies by the , and signature beers from
  • Red carpet, photo wall & a surprise by
  • Fashion show by
  • Ceske broze by Jewlery designer
  • Raffle giveaway

Get your tickets here.

Foto: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Radio Prague International

Desde la emblemática Casa Danzante hasta la desconcertante distribución de las viviendas checas, Antonella Nicolari comparte en esta entrevista qué es lo que más la enamora de Praga, que le falta a la ciudad para terminar de asumirse como moderna y por qué es necesario pensar espacios que abracen también a quienes llegan de afuera.

Uno de los últimos proyectos en los que trabajó Antonella Nicolari antes de dejar Argentina fue, justamente, la refacción del aeropuerto internacional de Ezeiza.

See more here.

Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Photo: Alexandra Mlejnková, ČTK

This year’s edition of the legendary Trutnoff Open Air music festival is dedicated to Václav Havel, marking what would have been his 90th birthday. Even when Havel was president, he was known simply as “the tribal chief” at the rock festival, which he had supported since its underground days.

Trutnov’s festival grounds, August 2008.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Zdeňka Kuchyňová, Radio Prague International

Burned synagogues and smashed shop windows are some of the best-known images of Nazi persecution of Jews. But the Nazis also systematically confiscated Jewish books, hoping to build a huge collection that could be used to provide a ‘scientific’ justification for their racist ideology. During the war, more than half a million volumes were moved to the occupied Czech lands, where many remained for decades. An exhibition at the Klementinum in Prague, From the Shadows to the Light, now looks at what happened to these books and the efforts to uncover their stories.

I spoke to historians Jana Jirásková and Jiří Blažek, both from the Documentation Centre for Property Transfers of the Cultural Assets of WWII Victims, and began by asking them why the Nazis went to such lengths to collect Jewish books, and what they intended to do with them.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Vít Černý, ČTK

Five years ago, the Mělník III power plant, once the largest coal-fired unit in the Czech Republic, ceased operation. Commissioned in 1981, it was a mainstay of the country’s energy system for decades. Its closure in 2021 paved the way for a major transformation of the entire site north of Prague. Energy company ČEZ is investing tens of billions of crowns in lower-emission technologies, including what will be the country’s largest combined-cycle gas-fired heat and power plant. The remaining coal-fired operations at Mělník are due to end by 2030. The transformation is expected to significantly reduce emissions while ensuring reliable heating supplies for around 250,000 households in Prague and the surrounding region.

The Mělník III power plant, located around 30 kilometres north of Prague, was the largest coal-fired generating unit in what was then Czechoslovakia when it entered service in 1981.

See more here.

Author: Klára Stejskalová

Photo: Jan Malý, Czech Radio

Prague is already feeling the effects of a warming climate, particularly during increasingly intense summer heat waves. Jan Richter, a climate change adaptation specialist at Prague City Hall, believes the answer lies partly beneath our feet: giving trees enough underground space, retaining rainwater and bringing more vegetation into even the historic centre. In this episode of Czechast, he also explains how a Fulbright scholarship in the United States and the urban farms of Detroit helped shape his ideas about the resilient city of the future.

Jan Richter has spent much of his professional life thinking about how cities can provide a good quality of life without exceeding the limits of the natural environment.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Facebook of Fiction from Karolinum

Velvet Blues, a collection of 20th century stories by Czech and Slovak Romany writers, is set to be presented at October’s Frankfurt Book Fair, where this year Czechia will be guest of honour. I discussed the anthology with Karolína Ryvolová of Kher, a publishing house focused on Romany literature, which is putting it out in conjunction with Karolinum Press.

“We knew that we were aiming for an international audience – partly a Romani émigré audience and partly just an international audience.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: APF Czech Radio

From reflections in the ionosphere to the musical oasis of Interprogram. Dive into the history of Radio Prague, which connected countries and offered popular music in exchange for political proclamations.

The international service of Czech Radio, now better known under the banner of Radio Prague International, has been keeping the world informed about events in Czechia for an impressive 90 years.

See more here.

Author: Jaromír Marek

Photo: Bioscop

Oscar-winning director Jan Svěrák’s comedy Pět švestek (Five Plums) will be released in cinemas in the United Kingdom this autumn under the title What a Way to Go. It is only the fourth Czech film in the 30 years since the Czech Republic became an independent state to secure a wide release in British cinemas.

The film is about five elderly friends who set off together on one final adventure, sailing around some Greek islands on a rented yacht.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Bioscop

If these two stop-motion puppet characters get their hands on something, you can be pretty sure it will go wrong. Pat and Mat, Czechia’s famously clumsy handymen, have been entertaining audiences for five decades, and their slapstick adventures have won fans around the world.

In one typical episode, Pat and Mat decide to hang a large picture.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Illustrative photo: rcvd, Pixabay, CC0 1.0 DEED

Wild boars are increasingly moving into urban areas across the Czech Republic. Once largely confined to forests, they are now appearing in city parks, gardens and residential neighbourhoods,scavenging for food.

Reports of sightings of wild boar in urban areas, including the suburbs of big cities such as Prague and Brno, have been on the rise in recent years, as has pressure on local municipalities to deal with the problem.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Dušan Dostál, ČTK

The biggest star of his time, a wild performer who had girls falling at his feet, a Czech rock’n’roll king with a tragic fate. All of this is associated with the name Miki Volek, the once-famous singer who died alone and forgotten on August 14, 1996. To mark the 30th anniversary of the passing of this king of Czech rock’n’roll, we decided to dedicate today’s Sunday Music Show to his life and music.

The life of legendary Czech rock’n’roll singer Miki Volek could be summed up as a journey from hell to rock’n’roll heaven.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Katherine Vašíčková, Czech Radio

This week’s solar eclipse and the Perseid meteor shower once again drew Czechs outside to look at the sky. They also highlighted something unusual about the country: Czechia has one of the densest networks of public observatories and planetariums in Central Europe. Its roots stretch from the astronomers of Rudolf II’s Prague through the rise of amateur astronomy and communist-era “people’s observatories” to today’s European space programme.

The Czech Astronomical Society lists 55 observatories that members of the public can visit.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Wilda3, Pixabay, CC0 1.0 DEED

Conservationists have published the results of their traditional winter survey of large carnivores along the Czech-Slovak border. Trackers covered nearly 200 routes ranging from five to 25 kilometres, confirming the presence of wolves, lynx and bears.

In total, conservationists collected 274 confirmed records of large carnivores.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Illustrative photo: Michaela Kobyakov, freeimages

Drying wells and declining groundwater levels are affecting an increasing number of communities across Czechia. In some areas water utilities and fire crews have had to deliver drinking water to villages where inhabitants are dependent on their own wells.

As the drought deepens, many Czechs are coming to realize the value of a commodity they generally took for granted.

See more here.

Ishita Srivastava, Research Associate

Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, Distinguished Fellow

THE ENERGY AND RESOURCES INSTITUTE (TERI)

Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri

India has become a global leader in making progress on clean energy: by the end of December 2025, non-fossil fuel sources accounted for 51.93 per cent of India’s installed power capacity, crossing the 50 per cent mark set by India’s second Nationally Determined Contribution. According to IRENA’s Renewable Energy Statistics 2025, India ranks fourth globally in total installed renewable energy capacity.

India’s energy transition must be understood in relation to its development needs. The country has not yet reached peak energy demand, and energy access, affordability and security remain central to its development pathway. Its development strategy therefore combines renewable energy growth, energy efficiency, nuclear power, green hydrogen, carbon sinks and carbon markets with industrial competitiveness and job creation.

Green hydrogen has emerged within this as an important facet because it can support decarbonisation in sectors where direct electrification may not be sufficient. Green hydrogen is both a fuel and an industrial feedstock and it’s production using renewable energy can replace fossil fuel-derived inputs in petroleum refining, fertiliser production, steel manufacturing, and other hard to abate sectors, while also supporting the decarbonisation of long-haul automobiles, railways and marine vessels. The Indian Railways has recently demonstrated the capacity to run hydrogen fuelled trains.

The National Green Hydrogen Mission provides the central policy framework for scaling this opportunity linking energy transition with industrial policy and external economic opportunity. It targets a production of 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030. Production capacity of 862,000 tonnes per year has already been allocated to 18 companies, while 15 firms have been awarded 3,000 MW of annual electrolyser manufacturing capacity. Three green hydrogen hubs have also been identified at Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority in Tamil Nadu and Paradip Port Authority in Odisha.

A sectoral focus is connecting green hydrogen with concrete industrial use cases. In fertilisers, data indicates an aggregate procurement capacity of 7.24 lakh metric tonnes per annum of green ammonia at ₹55.75 per kg. In petroleum refining, green hydrogen is being used to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry, while in steel, five pilot projects with public and private producers are testing green hydrogen for iron reduction and other process applications under Indian operating conditions.

India’s green hydrogen strategy also has a clear international dimension with India looking to use voluntary cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This international orientation is consequential because green hydrogen is expected to become part of future clean energy trade.  Thus India’s green hydrogen effort not only responds to domestic decarbonisation needs, but also positions the country to contribute to the rules, markets and supply chains of a future low-carbon economy in the world.

India is also positioning itself in emerging international hydrogen platforms and partnerships. It entered the international hydrogen community at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam in 2024 with its first India Pavilion. Cooperation is expanding under the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, where more than 30 joint proposals have been received on hydrogen production from waste. India and the United Kingdom have engaged on hydrogen standardisation, and work is being undertaken with the Germans on market-based mechanisms and joint tender designs for exports. Moreover, Indian companies have secured long-term offtake agreements with Japanese companies for green ammonia and green methanol.

India has been in the forefront of pushing solar energy in the global south not only through its promotion but by the demonstrative effect of its domestic action. Its pro-active actions on green hydrogen would have a similar hugely positive effect in the global south.

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Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri is a former Indian diplomat who has served as Ambassador to the European Union (EU), Nepal, Belgium and Luxembourg. He has been India’s Ambassador & Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.

What is the best way to enjoy a hot August evening in Prague? The Ambassador of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Shehryar Akbar KHAN, and his spouse, Mrs. Sonia Shehryar, hosted a Mango Summer Party at their beautiful residence garden.

Without a tie, but with casual dress, many Ambassadors, diplomats, government officials, and friends of Pakistan enjoyed a great evening, with Pakistani food and very delicious desserts made by Mrs. Sonia Shehryar.

It was also an opportunity to wish Pakistan a Happy Independence Day, marked on 14^th of August.

The 16th  edition of Prague Pride, an annual festival celebrating the LGBTQ community, took place in Prague on Saturday, 8^th  August 2026.

The theme for this year is “Times Are Changing”

Tens of thousands of people, Czech politicians, members of Prague’s diplomatic community, and big commercial companies and organizations took part in the parade, which ran from the lower part of Wenceslas Square via the Republic Square, Celetna st., Old Town Square, and Pařížská st., to the new main venue on Štvanice Island.

The diplomatic community had a great representation from almost all embassies.

The celebrations continued on Štvanice Island, with live music and other events, until 10 pm.

Watch the video and the pictures from this colorful event.

Indian elephants once inhabited a vast area from Syria to Indonesia. However, they were exterminated in 94% of the area and today they are found only in islands. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

On Saturday, 15^th of August 2026, the Prague Zoo will celebrate the largest land creatures on the planet. The thematic program invites you to take a guided swim with octopuses or make paper from elephant dung.

On the 10th anniversary of Papírny’s founding, a limited edition of paper with unique numbering will also be on sale. In short, even Prague’s elephants will not remain Indian. They will delight breeders with a surprise – a playful and tasty enrichment. The special meeting will commemorate the 50th birthday of the elephant Shanti and the current pregnancy of the females Tamara and Janita.

The atmosphere of Asian culture and a rich program across the Elephant Valley. Saturday’s celebrations at the Prague Zoo will begin at 10:30 a.m., with a commented presentation of enrichment to the female elephants. The engaging narration by the guides of the Prague Zoo will take place several times a day, even during the attractive bathing of the elephants at 2 p.m. During it, people will learn why swimming is important for octopuses or which of Prague’s elephants is the biggest water lover.

Today, Indian elephants are threatened mainly by the loss of habitat and fragmentation of the range, due to which their populations are isolated. In Asia, the population is growing rapidly, and originally rural areas are gradually turning into cities. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Not only for small visitors, Prague Zoo Education Department will also prepare art workshops and an information-game station, thanks to which those interested will learn about the diverse life of elephants, the history of octopus breeding at the Prague Zoo, their influence on culture and the need to protect these iconic creatures.

Dry, color and decorate: visitors can try handmade paper from elephant dung in the lower part of the area near the Geotezka. They can choose from some art techniques. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the founding of Papírny Zoo Praha, there is also a limited edition of colored paper with the anniversary ten and unique numbering.

Across the world, elephants are seen in art and culture as symbols of strength, wisdom and majesty. For example, Indian tradition associates them with the god Ganesha. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Main program in Elephant Valley

at 10.00–16.00 Information and game station (Elephant Valley)

 Meet our elephants, elephants in culture, art workshop

at 10.30 a.m. Commented handing over of enrichment to female elephants (grass enclosure near the Gulab restaurant)

at 11 a.m. Handing over the enrichment element to the male elephant (back enclosure)

at 12.00 and 13.00 Commented encounters with female elephants (grass enclosure near the Gulab restaurant)

at 2 p.m. Guided elephant bathing (swimming pool in the middle enclosure)

Paper mill

at 10.00–18.00 Making paper from elephant dung

Foto: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Radio Prague International

Con humor, cercanía y un método en constante evolución, Ludmila Mlýnková marcó un antes y un después en el aprendizaje del español por parte de los checos. Sus manuales, nacidos del aula y de la práctica cotidiana, continúan siendo una guía indispensable incluso para quienes ya dominan la lengua.

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Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Source: Znamení Čtyř – Architekti

Charles University is building its largest science centre in modern history. The nearly five-and-a-half-billion-crown Biocenter is due to open in Prague in just a few years, and the university is now looking for a world-renowned scientist to lead it.

Construction of the new Biocenter, located in the Albertov neighbourhood of Prague, just below the historic Vyšehrad fortress, is in full swing.

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Photo: Ministry of Industry and Trade

The European Union plans to build a small network of huge AI computing centres as part of its effort to catch up with the United States and China. Czechia wants one of them to be built on the outskirts of Prague, where České Radiokomunikace is already developing a major data centre. Now, with the support of the government, the company bids to become part of the broader EU project.

Europe is investing heavily in artificial intelligence as it tries to narrow the technological gap with the United States and China.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: František Ortmann, Letní Letná

The end-of-summer blues is setting upon the citizens of Prague. Festival season is over, the holidays are coming to an end, but there are still films and plays aplenty! Here are our top tips to fill your end-of-summer programme in Prague.

The 23rd International Festival of Contemporary Circus and Theatre brings together performers from Czechia and abroad, this year’s international star is Circa, hailing all the way from Australia.

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Author: Anna Marie Regner

Photo: Profimedia

Milena Jesenská is known around the world primarily through Franz Kafka’s letters to her. Yet her own life story is just as compelling: a pioneering journalist who stood up to Nazism and paid for it with her life in the Ravensbrück concentration camp.

Milena Jesenská was born in Prague in 1896.

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Illustrative photo: Pavel Polák, Czech Radio

Due to drought and heat, Czech farmers are looking for new crops that can better withstand such conditions. Increasingly, they are opting for sunflowers instead of rapeseed. In the eastern parts of the country there have even been attempts to grow figs or even olive trees.

People driving through Central Bohemia can now admire vast fields of ripening sunflowers.

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Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: YouTube

It was built as a secret Soviet command post during the Cold War and hidden from the public for decades. Now the Jasyr bunker in the Karlovy Vary region in northwest Bohemia is open to visitors, thanks to a group of enthusiasts who have spent years restoring it.

Completed in 1974, Jasyr was a highly secret Soviet military facility on the southern edge of the Hradiště Military Training Area, in the Doupov Mountains.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Česká asociace v Řecku, Krajánek ve světě

One of the challenges of living abroad is gradually losing contact with your native language, and this can be even more difficult for children of expats. Various associations can therefore serve as a bridge to their native language and fellow countrymen, often run by volunteers who want to share their enthusiasm for their native language with children living abroad. One such organisation, focused on the youngest generation, is Krajánek ve světě.

Life abroad certainly brings plenty of excitement, discovery and new experiences.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Václav Široký

Scientists from Brno University of Technology are preparing to observe Wednesday’s total solar eclipse from Iceland and Spain. Five teams equipped with cameras, dozens of lenses and special filters will have just two minutes to collect crucial images and data. While their colleagues in Iceland are battling rain and wind, one of the Spanish teams has already faced insects and a nearby wildfire.

For more than two decades, scientists from Brno have travelled around the world to observe one of astronomy’s most spectacular phenomena.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Marek Hensl, Czech Radio

Brno’s unique language variety, known as Hantec, has been added to the South Moravian Region’s list of traditional folk culture. It developed among the city’s lower classes in the 19th century and has survived in some everyday expressions. Its promoters now hope to have it recognised at national level and eventually by UNESCO.

Hantec is a distinctive form of speech that emerged among Brno’s working classes in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Václav Pancer, ČTK

The European champions in the youth sailing class took place on Lake Lipno, which provided challenging conditions for the competitors. The overall standings were ultimately decided by the very last race. The best Czech crew, Jakub Lojka and Dominik Szmaragowski (pictured), finished in 19th place.

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Photo: Tomáš Krist, MF DNES + LN / Profimedia

For centuries, paintings, monuments and public buildings have shaped the way Czechs understand their past. According to art historian and Charles University Professor Vít Vlnas, works of art often tell us less about the historical events they portray than about the period in which they were created. In an interview for Czechast, he reflects on Baroque art, Charles Bridge, collective memory and why modern generations are beginning to see Czech history differently.

History is often associated with kings, battles and political events.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Radio Prague International

The international broadcasts of Czechoslovak Radio were never just a one-way stream of news and music disappearing into the airwaves. From the very beginning, they formed a vibrant dialogue between Prague and the rest of the world. Thousands of letters each day, enthusiastic listeners in Africa and Latin America, remote listener clubs in Cuba, and Czechoslovak sailors in the middle of the ocean all found comfort, inspiration and a connection to another world through broadcasts from home. The following story takes you on a fascinating journey through the decades, brought to life by the memories of those who were there.

For those who created the broadcasts, it was not always easy to judge the impact of their work.

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Author: Jaromír Marek

Photo: Ondřej Mikušek, Czech Radio

A newspaper, banknotes, coins and –inevitably – a beer glass are among the items sealed inside a time capsule that was buried beneath the future tramline on Prague’s Wenceslas Square this week. Intended as a message for future generations, it is meant to serve as a testimony of life today.

There are hidden capsules in many parts of Prague –some have been unearthed, others are still waiting to be uncovered.

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Author: Daniela Lazarová

Foto: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Radio Prague International

Entre lecturas clandestinas de Milan Kundera, a quien tuvo nada menos que de profesor, y un viaje que la llevó a descubrir el desconcertante español rioplatense en Buenos Aires, Hana Hanušová construyó un puente cultural único: enseñó checo en el Chaco y Paraguay; y hasta se animó a editar un libro en guaraní sin hablar ni una palabra de ese idioma.

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Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Photo: Leah Takata, Prague Pride Festival

The annual Prague Pride festival gets under way on Monday with nearly 200 events across the Czech capital. This year’s edition also brings a major change, with the festival moving from Letná Plain to its new main venue on Štvanice Island. I discussed the event with Prague Pride’s PR and media representative, Nikola Páleníčková.

This year’s Prague Pride theme is Times Are Changing.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Michaela Danelová, iROZHLAS.cz

Longer and more intense heat waves are becoming a growing challenge for Prague, where the urban landscape traps heat long after sunset. City officials are responding with a range of adaptation measures, including an interactive map of cooling locations and plans to expand the network of public “cool zones.”

As summers in Prague become hotter, the city is introducing new ways to help people cope with increasingly frequent heat waves.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Gender Studies

One of Prague’s lesser-known but all the more fascinating libraries is the Jiřina Šiklová Library, hidden in the city centre on the banks of the Vltava. Although it is one of the smaller libraries, it has something to offer even the most demanding readers and researchers.

Just a few metres from Jirásek Square, almost directly opposite the Mánes Gallery, a hidden gem of Prague’s literary world occupies the first floor of one of the city’s grand riverside buildings overlooking the Vltava.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Martina Kutková, Radio Prague International

The iconic Villa Tugendhat in Brno is marking 25 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List with a three-day celebration starting this Friday. The programme includes concerts, art installations and a unique videomapping show on the facade of the villa, considered a masterpiece of Modernism.

Villa Tugendhat, designed by the renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, was completed in 1930 and has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 2001.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: LŠSS

More than a hundred students from around the world have gathered in Prague this summer with one goal: to study Czech. They’re taking part in the annual Summer School of Slavonic Studies, a programme Charles University has been running already for 69 years. Ruth Fraňková went to talk to some of them and find out what brought them here.

Inside the historic Faculty of Arts building in Celetná Street, in the heart of Prague’s Old Town, a Czech language class is in full swing.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: iROZHLAS.cz

One of the oldest “patients” on record has undergone an examination at the St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno. Using computed tomography, doctors scanned the more than 700-year-old statue of the Žarošice Madonna, which depicts the Queen of Heaven holding the infant Jesus. Parishioners from Žarošice hope the non-invasive examination will reveal as much information as possible about the Gothic sculpture.

Žarošice is a small village in the south-east of Czechia, close to the borders with Slovakia and Austria.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo illustrative: wobbuffet13, Pixabay, Pixabay License

Czechia has been named Europe’s fastest-growing tourism destination in a major international study, a result that CzechTourism sees as confirmation that its efforts to reshape the country’s image abroad are paying off. Rather than simply attracting ever larger crowds, the agency says its goal is to encourage visitors to stay longer, explore more of the country and bring greater benefits to local communities.

For the head of CzechTourism, František Reismüller, the findings are less a surprise than a welcome confirmation that the agency’s long-term strategy is beginning to bear fruit.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Václav Šálek, ČTK

Brno pulsed to the rhythm of Brazilian samba during the seventh annual Brasil Fest, held over the past few days. Hundreds of dancers, drummers, capoeira performers and other artists filled the city centre with colour and energy as they paraded through the streets, cheered on by large crowds of spectators.

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Photo: Štěpán Macháček, Czech Radio

The network of Czech Centres is heading for its biggest transformation in years. Newly appointed director Ivan Jukl says the goal is not to shrink the organisation but to strengthen its presence abroad while making it more efficient at home.

The Czech Centres, a state-funded organisation operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, form one of the country’s principal instruments of cultural and public diplomacy.

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Author: Vít Pohanka