AuthorMartin Hladík

On the occasion of the National Day of the Swiss Confederation, the Ambassador of Switzerland, H.R. Mr. Urs Bucher, and Ms. Anja Siebold Bucher, hosted a garden reception at their beautiful residence.

The Honored Speaker was :

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

Watch the video with the speech of the Ambassador of Switzerland, H.R. Mr. Urs Bucher, Mr. Karel Havlicek – Deputy PM and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and highlights from the culture event.

On the occasion of the 27^th Anniversary of the Enthronement of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, H.E. Ms. Hanane Saadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Czech Republic, hosted a reception at the residence’s beautiful garden.

The Honored Speakers were :

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

and Mr. Petr Macinka, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Mr. Vaclav Klaus, the former President of the Czech Republic, was the honor guests.

Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Ms. Hanane Saadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Czech Republic, and of Mr. Karel Havlicek – Deputy PM and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and Mr. Petr Macinka, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Long live the King!          عاش الملك!

The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors to the Czech Republic on Wednesday, 29^th of July, 2026, at Prague Castle:

H.E. Mr. Talal Abdulsalam Abdullah Alshatti, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Kuwait, based in Prague;

H.E. Ms. Maria de Lourdes Martins de Sousa Bessa, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Republic of East Timor, based in Brussels;

H.E. Mr. Mohamed Meziane, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic and People’s Republic of Algeria, based in Prague;

H.E. Mr. Christian Hodges-Nugent Docmac, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Chile, based in Prague.

Daniel Štech will become the new director of the foreign department of the Office of the President of the Republic. He replaces Jaroslav Zajíček, who was appointed extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Portugal.

“I am convinced that Daniel Štech will ensure continuity in the activities of the foreign department and will continue to provide the President of the Republic with professional service in the field of foreign policy. His long-term experience in Czech diplomacy and his previous work in the Office of the President of the Republic are a guarantee of a smooth connection to the work of Jaroslav Zajíček, whom I would like to thank for his professionalism and humanity in providing support to the President,” says the head of the Office of the President of the Republic, Milan Vašina.

Daniel Štech brings to the head of the foreign department more than ten years of experience in Czech diplomacy. He is a graduate of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has worked for several years as secretary to the deputy minister and worked in the department of political planning. He followed it up with a posting to the embassy in Vienna, where he focused on the political agenda and the development of bilateral relations. He is fluent in English, German and French. In the past, he also engaged in professional translation activities. Since 2023, he has been working in the foreign department of the Office of the President of the Republic, where he participates in the preparation of the foreign policy agenda of the President of the Republic and the provision of professional background for the performance of his duties.

“The President of the Republic has long contributed to building the good name of the Czech Republic and promoting its interests abroad. I appreciate the opportunity to create a strong background for the performance of his foreign policy role and to develop open communication with Czech and foreign partners. The Czech Republic can be a country that, in times of growing uncertainty, brings reliability, predictability and a willingness to bear responsibility to its partners. The credibility of our country strengthens our security and at the same time creates new opportunities for the Czech economy, science and innovation,” says the incoming director of the foreign department, Daniel Štech.

Photo: Ministry of Industry and Trade

The Czech government is merging CzechTrade and CzechInvest agencies into a single agency called CzechBusiness. Officials say the move will simplify services for companies, strengthen support for exporters, investors and startups, and reduce administrative costs while preserving existing services.

The merger, announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček, is intended to create a single point of contact for companies seeking help with exports, investments and startup development while reducing duplication inside the state administration.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Lucie Pavlačiková, Safari Park Dvůr Králové

Honey badgers are only rarely kept in zoos, making the recent new arrival at Dvůr Králové Safari Park an exceptional breeding achievement. The cub is currently staying with its mother behind the scenes, and the first visitors will be able to see it in a few months.

See more here.

Photo: ČTK

One hundred and thirty-five years ago, the Petřín Lookout Tower opened and the Petřín funicular began operating. The new attractions transformed Prague’s skyline and remain among the city’s most popular landmarks.

The summer of 1891 brought one of the biggest changes to Prague’s skyline.

See more here.

Photo: Kmeron, Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The tragic death of the Irish rock musician Glen Hansard on Tuesday made headlines around the world. There has also been an outpouring of grief here in the Czech Republic, where Hansard touched countless lives on many visits over a 30-year period.

Glen Hansard first performed in Czechia with The Frames in 1996 and subsequently played countless times around the country with the band, solo and as part of The Swell Season.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Martin Knitl, Czech Radio

A unique restoration project is underway in the north-eastern city of Opava, where conservators are rebuilding the glass-block dome of the historic Breda department store. The dome is made up of thousands of individual glass blocks weighing around five tonnes altogether.

One by one, restorers are fitting 4,200 glass blocks into the spectacular dome of Opava’s historic Breda department store.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Source: No-longer-here!, Pixabay, Pixabay License

Czechs are among Europe’s least mobile workers. OECD and Eurostat data show they are far less likely than many other Europeans to relocate for work, often preferring to commute instead. Regional geographer and university president Jaroslav Koutský believes geography, family ties and long-standing habits all help explain why.

Freedom of movement has been one of the European Union’s defining principles ever since Czechia joined the bloc in 2004.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: TSK Praha

Anyone visiting Charles Bridge recently may have noticed workers suspended from ropes high above the Vltava or operating from boats below. They are carrying out regular maintenance to help keep one of Prague’s most iconic landmarks in good condition.

Charles Bridge is not only Prague’s best-known landmark but also one of the busiest historic bridges in Europe, with around 30,000 people crossing it every day.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon, Universal Pictures

Although it has been almost two weeks since the Prague premiere of what is likely to be this year’s biggest blockbuster, Prague’s IMAX cinema is still packed. The screening schedule for the 180-minute epic The Odyssey by director Christopher Nolan has even been expanded to include midnight showings. As a result, the last moviegoers leave the IMAX at Prague’s Flora shopping centre after three o’clock in the morning.

If you attend an IMAX screening of The Odyssey in Prague, chances are you will hear not only Czech but many other languages around you.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: House of Lobkowicz

Historic writing instruments often form only a small, supplementary part of permanent exhibitions at castles and châteaux, despite the undeniable historical and artistic value of these frequently overlooked objects. A current exhibition at Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle seeks to change that. Among its highlights, visitors can also see an original letter written by the composer Antonio Salieri.

Since a long time ago, human communication has been able to overcome even the greatest distances.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

When Hanna moved from Belarus to Czechia, it changed her career and her views on sex. Many women from former Soviet countries struggle to discuss sex openly with their partners, says the designer-turned-sexologist.

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Photo: Milan Malíček, Právo / Profimedia

The well-known artist, musician and arts administrator Milan Knížák has died at the age of 86. Knížák was part of the Fluxus art movement and was active in the Czechoslovak underground, before heading Prague’s Academy of Fine Arts and the Czech National Gallery in the post-1989 period.

One of Milan Knížák’s most significant early projects was Aktual, a rock group that grew out of Aktuální umění (Current Art), a collective the painter and sculptor started in 1967.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Eva Kézrová, Czech Radio

Czech researchers are developing a custom-made, 3D-printed implant with a porous structure that can be infused with drugs and release them gradually over time. To support the project, the Prague team has acquired a state-of-the-art 3D metal printer. Czech patients could soon receive joint implants that not only replace damaged joints but also deliver medication directly into the body.

That’s the goal of a project being developed by researchers at the University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT) in Prague, together with doctors from Motol University Hospital.

See more here.

Author: Eva Kézrová

Photo: Czech Radio/ Verzone

Ninety years after the legendary Slovak Arrow first connected Prague and Bratislava, Czech journalist and author Michaela Vetešková is keeping its legacy alive. Inspired by a rare journey aboard the iconic train, a children’s book she wrote celebrates not only one of Czechoslovakia’s greatest engineering achievements, but also the life of its visionary creator, Josef Sousedík.

Although it was a Czech train, Slovenská strela or Slovak Arrow was given its name because it was designed to provide a fast connection between Prague and Bratislava in what was then Czechoslovakia.

See more here.

Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Slavia Praha

Graphic designer Pavel Fuksa has worked with some of the world’s top brands, including Nike, Lego and Google. Now Fuksa has turned his skills to a different field, designing the 2026–2027 strip collection for reigning Czech football champions Slavia Prague, the club he has followed all his life. I spoke to him ahead of the start of the new top flight season this weekend.

I know that you have a long-time passion for football strips.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

The benefit concert of the Grand Finale of the National Festival Smetana’s Litomyšl raised more than 1 million crowns to support seniors from Litomyšl and the surrounding area.

The President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and his wife Eva Pavlová made a significant contribution to achieving this amount, donating 150 thousand crowns to the collection for the Good Will Committee – Olga Havel Foundation.

The President’s gift, together with contributions from festival visitors, partners and other donors, helped to exceed the symbolic threshold of one million crowns. The proceeds of the public collection will go through the Good Will Committee – Olga Havel Foundation to organizations that provide care and support for seniors in Litomyšl and the surrounding area. The resulting amount ultimately reached 1,088,336 crowns.

“We greatly appreciate the generous donation of President Petr Pavel and First Lady Eva Pavlová. Their example is an inspiration for other donors, and their contribution significantly contributed to the fact that we managed to cross the one million crown mark. Equally important, however, is the message they sent: that helping seniors is a topic that deserves our attention,” says Monika Granja, Director of the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havel Foundation.

The charity collection was part of the final concert of the Grand Finale – Italian Film Night, which culminated this year’s Smetana’s Litomyšl National Festival. Festival visitors could contribute to the collection when purchasing tickets and during the benefit broadcast by Czech Television and Czech Radio.

The collection continues until the end of July. The funds raised will support organizations providing outreach services, home care and support in residential facilities for seniors. The goal is to help older people maintain a dignified and active life in the environment they know for as long as possible.

Committee of Good Will – Olga Havel Foundation

The Committee of Good Will has been operating since 1990, when the foundation was founded by Olga Havel, the first wife of the President of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel. The foundation continues to build on this legacy. It helps those who cannot take care of themselves due to their adverse health and social conditions. It strives to develop education, spiritual values, human rights, and other humanistic values. Thanks to the support of individual and corporate donors, the foundation contributes to health and compensation aids, supports helping organizations and students with health or social disadvantages. During its existence, the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havel Foundation has helped organizations and individuals in need with an amount exceeding one billion crowns.

Major partners of the collection: Generali Investments, Smetanova Litomyšl, Law Office Kocián, Šolc, Balaštík, Adfors, Saint-Gobain, Czech Television, Czech Radio, Czech Savings Bank, Dino

Cape voles sleep most of the day. Commented feedings are a great opportunity to observe them in action. People can visit them at the Africa House, both weekends at 10:30 a.m. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

On Saturday, 25.7.26 and Sunday, 26.7.2026, Prague Zoo will host a popular insectivore weekend. In addition to thematic animal feedings, visitors will also be offered free tastings of insect specialties, commented food preparations, or demonstrations of farmed insects. There will also be a competition stand for children. The first hundred tickets sold at the main box office will also receive a bonus package of flavored crickets on both days. The complete program can be seen on the Prague Zoo website.

Insect skewers, garlic-covered crickets, or locusts in banana batter – this is what the weekend delicacies for visitors at the Prague Zoo Education Center will look like. People will also learn how Brazilian blackflies, Argentine cockroaches, or so-called mealworms are bred and processed.

Unconventional gastronomic experiences await visitors from 10:00 to 16:00 at the Education Center near the main entrance of Prague Zoo. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Throughout the weekend, Prague Zoo’s insectivorous inhabitants will also enjoy a selected menu. Visitors can go for guided feedings and meetings throughout the entire zoo grounds.

The program starts in the Dja Reservation with the northern talapoins (10.15). The African House invites you to visit the burrowing geckos (10.30) or meerkats (10.45), and the Pavilion of Beasts and Reptiles will present desert lizards in the Kattakum exhibition (10.30) and the equally remarkable Sonora exhibition (10.45). The Prague Zoo guides in the lower part of the garden will reveal interesting facts about the life of anteaters (13.30). The Indonesian Jungle will not be left behind either. It invites visitors to feed critically endangered short-tailed pangolins (15.30).

This weekend, the Prague Zoo will be scented with fresh insect specialties. Packaged insect products will also be available for purchase on site. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Insect menu on the terrace of the Education Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Indian-style mealworms with couscous
• Garlic-fried crickets
• Sweet locusts in batter with banana, pancake and chocolate icing
• Mealworms with caramelized apples
• Skewers of several types of insects with vegetables

The guided feeding of northern talapoins in the Dja Reservation is also a great opportunity to observe this year’s cubs. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Foto: editorial Práh

La prestigiosa historietista checa Lucie Lomová habla sobre Fondo clásico del cuento popular checo, una obra que reúne cinco relatos tradicionales de Karel Jaromír Erben, a quien ella ubica a la altura de los hermanos Grimm. En esta entrevista explica por qué esos cuentos revelan la identidad checa y podrían fascinar también al público hispano.

“La consigna era adaptar al cómic una serie de cuentos checos clásicos y Karel Jaromír Erben me pareció absolutamente ideal para eso”.

See more here.

Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

Prague is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. To preserve its unique character for future generations, its historic city centre was designated the Prague Heritage Reservation 55 years ago, on July 21, 1971. It covers a vast area of 895 hectares, making it one of the largest protected urban centers in the world.

The district in question includes the Old Town, Malá Strana (the Lesser Quarter), Hradčany, New Town, Vyšehrad and large sections of the Vltava River with its islands.

See more here.

Photo: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Radio Prague International

Miloslav “Čurby” Urbanec has a private football pitch in his garden, a statue of Maradona stands outside his house, and the façade of the family home is painted in the colours of Argentina. If Czechia were ever to face Argentina at the World Cup, the country’s biggest Argentina fan says he would not hesitate for a second about which team to support.

Miloslav Urbanec had always loved football, but after Argentina’s victory at the 1978 FIFA World Cup, when he was just four years old, he became a lifelong supporter of the South American champions.

See more here.

Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Romana Grajcarová

Source: Spolek Radecký Praha

The monument to Field Marshal Josef Václav Radetzky is set to return to Prague’s Malá Strana after more than a century. While the decision has broad political backing, some history minded members of the public still question whether the location is appropriate.

Josef Václav Radetzky, born in 1766 into a Czech noble family, served in the Habsburg army for more than seventy years and became one of Europe’s most celebrated military commanders.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

There are approximately one million foreigners of various nationalities living in the Czech Republic, contributing to the country’s rich cultural diversity. In this series, Radio Prague Int. presents the stories of people of different ages and professions, opinions and interests, whose life journey has brought them to the Czech Republic.

Source

Photo: Michaela Danelová, iROZHLAS.cz

The future of the Václav Havel Library has become uncertain amid disputes over its leadership, governance and the use of Václav Havel’s name. Former director Milan Babík, who led the institution for less than a year, says many of today’s problems were already apparent during his tenure. In an interview with Radio Prague International, he reflects on his brief experience and on what he believes the library should represent.

The Václav Havel Library, one of the Czech Republic’s leading institutions dedicated to preserving the legacy of the country’s first post-communist president, is facing the deepest crisis in its history.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Shutterstock

The Czech government has approved a proposal to ban the use of mobile phones in schools. Starting in 2027, the ban would apply to children in nursery, primary schools, grammar schools and conservatories. The opposition and the Children’s Ombudsman oppose the proposal, arguing that it is unnecessary.

In the classroom, during breaks, in after-school clubs and even in the school cafeteria.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Czech Television/ ČT24

A monumental concrete sculpture that stood beside Prague’s Barrandov Bridge for more than three decades collapsed late last week, sending tons of debris onto a nearby road and cycle path. No one was injured, but the incident has sparked debate over the state of public art in the Czech capital.

The six-metre-high, 15-metre-wide sculpture, Rovnováha (Balance), was the work of sculptor Josef Klimeš, who is regarded as one of the most important Czech sculptors of the second half of the 20th century.

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Author: Daniela Lazarová, Vladimír Kroc

Prague Council to replace collapsed Barrandov Bridge sculpture

Prague Council has decided to replace a well-known sculpture from the city’s Barrandov Bridge with a copy. The eight-metre high work Rovnovaha (Balance), which was created by sculptor Josef Klimeš and installed in 1990, collapsed last week.

Councillor Tomáš Slabihoudek told reporters that the city had a precise 3D scan of the cast reinforced concrete sculpture that could be used to create a replica.

Photo: Břetislav Tureček, Radio Prague International

It’s one of Czechia’s best-kept secrets: a narrow-gauge railway that snakes through a fairy-tale landscape in the country’s far northeast. We took a ride on the Osoblažka to find out what makes it so special.

All aboard! Finding Osoblaha on a map of Czechia is no easy task.

See more here.

Photo: Vladimír Pryček, ČTK

The Colours of Ostrava festival has become an integral part of the Czech summer music scene. With a line-up spanning a wide range of genres, there’s something for fans of virtually every musical taste.

See more here.

Photo: Barbora Linková, Czech Radio

Czech psychedelic pop band Bert & Friends is celebrating a decade on the music scene. Led by frontman Albert Romanutti, the group has built a distinctive world with surreal lyrics, colourful visuals and a mix of genres.

Since debuting with the single Haluzinace in 2016, the group has built a reputation for its psychedelic pop sound.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: APF Czech Radio

Shortly after the end of World War II, free voices returned to Prague’s radio studios. However, hopes for independent broadcasting were soon wiped out by the arrival of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain. Within a few years, Czechoslovak Radio’s international broadcasts had been transformed into a strategic weapon, tasked with spreading a particular message to every corner of the globe.

In early 1947, the voice of Prague spoke to the entire world in an impressive 18 languages.

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Author: Jaromír Marek

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

After cementing its reputation in Czechia with an acclaimed multipurpose arena, the young Brno-based architecture studio Chybík + Krištof is increasingly going international. The firm has significant projects in London and Paris in the pipeline – and ambitions to work even further afield in future. I caught up with co-founder Ondřej Chybík, who is 41, at the company’s bustling offices in central Prague.

Your father taught, or teaches, architecture.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Václav Malý, Czech Radio

A new tourist landmark is taking shape near Boží Dar in the Ore Mountains. The “stone heart” monument built to celebrate the international hiking festival EURORANDO 2026, is intended to symbolize the unity of European countries.

Boží Dar, located on the Czech-German border in the Ore Mountains, is the highest-situated town in Central Europe (1,028 m a.

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Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Jana Matznerová, Czech Radio

For more than two decades, guitarist Rudy Linka has brought some of the world’s finest jazz musicians to Czech town squares through Bohemia JazzFest. In an inteview with Vít Pohanka, he looks back on his journey from communist Czechoslovakia to New York and explains why making great music accessible to everyone remains his life’s mission.

When Rudy Linka left communist Czechoslovakia as a 19-year-old, he was driven by a simple desire: to experience the world and hear the musicians he admired in person.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

On the occasion of French National Day, celebrated on July 14 as a commemoration of the 1789 Bastille Day, H.E. Mr. Stéphane Crouzat, Ambassador of France to the Czech Republic, and Ms. Jennifer Zeitlin-Crouzat hosted a special reception at the beautiful garden of Palais Buquoy, the French Embassy in Prague.

The honored guest was the President of the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Petr Pavel.

Watch the speech of H.E. Mr. Stéphane Crouzat, Ambassador of France to the Czech Republic, and of the President of the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Petr Pavel. And highlights from the culture program.

Viva France – Viva Czech Republic

On the occasion of the commemoration of the 32nd Anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation Day (Kwibohora32), H.E. Dr. Richard Masozera, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda, hosted a reception at OREA Hotel Pyramida.

This Kwibohora marks not only a day of remembrance but also a celebration of Rwanda’s remarkable journey of resilience, unity, and progress, honoring the spirit of liberation and the achievements made since.

The honored speaker was Mr. Vaclav Prášil, Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Watch the video with the speeches of H.E. Dr. Richard Masozera, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Czech Republic, and Mr. Vaclav Prášil, Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. And highlights from the culture program.

The event was moderated by Mr. Gerard Firmin Jonathan Byishimo VOLKMAR, First Secretary at the Rwanda Embassy in the Czech Republic.

Photos: Helena Budilova, and Archive

Cheetah cubs begin to walk clumsily and cautiously after less than a month of life. They are still fully dependent on their mother’s milk. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Cheetah cubs were born at Prague Zoo. The quadruplets were born on June 18 and are still far from overcoming the critical period. Despite their inexperience, their mother is taking exemplary care of them, and she remains in the back enclosure with her offspring. If all goes well, visitors will see the rare additions in the second half of August. The cheetah is one of the most endangered felines today. There are only about 7,000 individuals left in the wild. Human breeding has also not been successful recently. Since 2020, the number of cheetahs in European zoos has decreased by a quarter. Each raised cub is therefore a success and a hope. Cheetah cubs are raised at Prague Zoo after eight years.

The little cheetahs are now starting to grow their incisors. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

“The mother of the cubs never ceases to surprise us. Years ago, she arrived from France in a weak physical and mental state, and at that time I was convinced that we would never see cubs from this female,” says mammal curator Pavel Brandl. However, the female’s condition has improved since spring 2023, thanks to the care in Prague. “Last year, she became pregnant for the first time and gave birth to a dead cub. But that also gave us hope that she is fertile and can get pregnant. She has now given birth to five viable kittens and is behaving maternally beyond expectations,” he adds.

The seven-year-old female chose an outdoor enclosure for giving birth. On the one hand, this brings the breeding process closer to nature, but on the other hand, it carries greater risks – for example, storms.

They cannot see after birth, but they can now observe their surroundings. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

It is thanks to the mother’s responsibility that all the cubs managed to overcome the heavy downpours at the turn of June and July. Drowning and subsequent pneumonia are also frequent causes of death for cheetahs in the wild, along with predation. Apparently, however, the cheetah dried her offspring by licking the water from their typically bushy fur with a dorsal mantle.

Prague Zoo will provide further information about the development of the cubs and the possibility of seeing or photographing them.

Foto: Film Servis Festival Karlovy Vary

El director de la película checa de la que todo el mundo habla revela qué lo une a su admirado Pedro Almodóvar, por qué en pleno 2026 sigue siendo importante abordar en Chequia el tema de la diversidad sexual y cómo se ha convertido en un férreo defensor del rol de los medios públicos.

En los pasillos, en las filas para retirar entradas, en las charlas ocasionales con café o cerveza de por medio y hasta en los baños.

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Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Photo: Kateřina Šulová, ČTK

The landmark 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was won by the Myanmar-made, Czech co-produced Fruit Gathering. Meanwhile the great French actress Juliette Binoche received a lifetime achievement award from the region’s biggest film event.

The Grand Prix for Best Film at the 2026 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival went to Fruit Gathering.

See more here. 

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Peteri, Shutterstock

More and more Czechs are discovering the joys of life on the water. The number of recreational boats registered in the country has doubled over the past decade, reflecting the growing popularity of boating as a summer pastime.

One of the country’s most popular boating destinations is the Slapy Reservoir, south of Prague.

See more here. 

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

A new shop focused on Czech design and culture opened at Prague Castle on Wednesday, as officials highlighted changes at the country’s most visited landmark “midway” through the presidency of Petr Pavel.

At Prague Castle’s grand Rothmayer Hall on Wednesday, officials presented some of the changes the complex has seen since Petr Pavel became head of state in 2023.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: APF Czech Radio

Ninety years ago, a broadcast first went on air from Prague’s Strašnice district with a single mission: to make heard the voice of Czechoslovakia, a small country in the heart of Europe. Radio Prague International was not created as a pastime, but as a strategic weapon against Nazi propaganda. Through the crackle of the airwaves, presidents, ordinary people and visionaries spoke to listeners abroad. This is the story of courage behind the microphone that began in 1936 and had to withstand attacks, lies, and the fateful Munich Agreement. Discover an era when radio connected continents in the struggle for freedom.

The year is 1936, and storm clouds are gathering over Europe.

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Author: Jaromír Marek

Photo: Kin Cheung, ČTK/AP

Linda Nosková has become Wimbledon champion after defeating fellow Czech Karolína Muchová in a dramatic three-set final. The 21-year-old described the moment as “incredible” and said the two players had made history together. Muchová admitted the defeat was painful but called her run to the final a motivation to keep chasing a first Grand Slam title.

Linda Nosková appeared not to be quite sure what to do with the Wimbledon trophy.

See more here. 

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Michal Augustini, Colours of Ostrava

Visitors to this year’s Colours of Ostrava festival, due to open next week, will be able to explore a brand-new venue. Alongside the more laid-back Steel Stage, organizers are also introducing a new fan zone called Steel Town.

One of the country’s most popular music festivals Colours of Ostrava takes place at the Dolní Vítkovice grounds, a spectacular former ironworks area in Ostrava, in the eastern part of the Czech Republic.

See more here. 

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Juan Francisco Muñoz chose Prague over Berlin for his studies. He fell in love with the city, stayed, and ended up launching his podcast Geopolitical Pickle

See more here. 

Photo: Jaromír Marek, Czech Radio

On Saturday, 4 July 2026, a commemorative ceremony was held in the English civil parish of Cholmondeley that marked the arrival of Czechoslovak soldiers in the UK in July 1940. Their ranks included men from all walks of life – students, factory workers, professional soldiers but also people who lived on the fringes of legality. A painting by one of the soldiers, created in Cholmondeley park in the summer of 1940, has now returned there.

A green park, a pond covered with water lilies in the foreground, and trees and brown tents in the background, where Czechoslovak soldiers slept.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Jaroslav Svoboda, ČTK

The Between Two Gates vintage car rally continues the tradition of a motor race held in Telč during the First Czechoslovak Republic. This year’s event featured cars built up to 1939, with the oldest entry – a 1906 Franklin – 120 years old!

See more here. 

Photo: Dan Materna, MFDNES + LN / Profimedia

Vlasta Průchová was one of the defining figures of Czech jazz. She was the singer who brought the spirit of American swing and jazz into Czechoslovak homes at a time when the Iron Curtain separated the country from the West. She performed alongside a young Karel Gott, welcomed music legends into her home, and raised a son who would become an international icon. This year marks the centenary of her birth.

In the early 1960s, viewers of the television programme Studio A witnessed a duet that quickly became a sensation: Až nám bude dvakrát tolik.

See more here. 

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Archiv of the village Senetářov

It stands as both an architectural landmark and a symbol of quiet resistance. The Church of St. Joseph in Senetářov was built with donations from ordinary people who fulfilled a wartime vow despite the obstacles of the communist regime.

During the communist era in Czechoslovakia (1948–1989), building new churches was almost impossible.

See more here. 

Photo: Petr Augustin, FJFI ČVUT

Few universities in the world can offer students hands-on experience with a real nuclear reactor. This episode of Czechast takes listeners inside the Czech Technical University in Prague with Professor Jan Rataj, head of the Department of Nuclear Reactors.

Hidden away inside a modest-looking building on the CTU campus close to the banks of the Vltava river is one of Czechia´s most remarkable scientific facilities.

See more here. 

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Anna-Marie Regner

An old hospital coal plant might seem an unlikely place for contemporary art. But this summer, the Czech Street Art Festival (SAFE) has transformed a functionalist industrial landmark into a space where street art and psychotherapy collide.

What does a 19th-century French poem have to do with graffiti? Visitors to Olomouc’s Street Art Festival (SAFE) can find the answer inside a functionalist coal facility designed in 1946 by Czech architect Bedřich Rozehnal.

See more here. 

“When you meet someone new in the Czech Republic, you first have to overcome a certain reserve, but after that everything comes easily,” says Yalin, a Turkish expert on companies’ cross-border expansion.

See more here. 

Illustrative photo: Department of Forest Ecology / ČZU

The oldest known beech tree in Czechia has been identified in the Beskydy Mountains near the country’s border with Slovakia. Researchers have determined the tree to be 492 years old, meaning it must have taken root in the early 16th century. 

The tree was discovered near the village of Velké Karlovice by a team from the Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening.

See more here. 

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Let us start with the good news: Our photo by Meshulam Zisso won the 2^nd place in “the world in photography through the eyes of journalists”. It’s a big honor. Thank you to the FIJET SLOVAKIA and the judges.

The 8th prestigious annual international photography exhibition “TRAVEL & EMOTIONS” took place in Piešťany on 30^th June 2026.

This prestigious exhibition and competition is organized by FIJET SLOVAKIA  entitled “TRAVEL and EMOTIONS”.

This renowned event for journalists and authors who are dedicated to tourism is traditionally the culmination of an international competition.

This year, journalists from 11 countries participated, submitting a total of 118 photographs.

An international jury led by renowned photographer Ivan Čaniga, MQEP, selected the works that best captured this year’s theme “Moment of Surprise”, as well as the underlying idea and deeper message of the photograph.

This year’s winning images reflect, in particular, the relationship between man and nature, man and his environment, as well as the world of a child who discovers life through artifacts that have already lost their original purpose.

Visitors to the exhibition will have the unique opportunity to see a collection of the 24 best submissions

The Travel and Emotions exhibition traditionally starts its journey in Piešťany, at the Balnea Esplanade Hotel in Piešťany.

 In the autumn months, the exhibition moves abroad, where it represents the high level of Slovak and international photojournalism.

Previous editions were successfully presented in metropolises such as Berlin (Germany), Blagoevgrad (Bulgaria), Kuwait (Kuwait), and Budapest (Hungary). Looking back at the history of the competition, the first laureates of the highest awards were the Bulgarian journalist Georgi Kozhuharov and the Slovak journalist living in Canada Paul Stacho.

The results of the 8th year of the “TRAVEL and EMOTIONS” competition are:

Category: Solo photo 1

1st place: Rolf Holmgren (Sweden) – Miracles still happen!

2nd place: Meshulam Zisso (Czech Republic) – Curious Baby Gorilla

3rd place: Katarína Lišková (Slovakia) – Before Silence 2

Category: Photo story

Sole award: Ahmet Mostafa Yasser (Egypt) – Echoes of Emotion: Human Moments at the Pyramids

Category: Photography from Slovakia

Sole award: Táňa Rundesová (Slovakia) – The wonder of a little train driver: where do those tracks lead?

You can find more information: https://www.fijetslovakia.sk/novinka/136070/svet-vo-fotografii-ocami-novinarov

About our photo “Curious Baby Gorilla” – The photo was taken on our trip to Rwanda. You can read the article “Visit Beautiful Rwanda” and watch more photos here: https://www.czechleaders.com/posts/visit-beautiful-rwanda/

Pham Ha’s Real Business Isn’t Travel—It’s Shaping How the World Sees Vietnam

Most travel companies sell itineraries. Some sell experiences. Only a remarkable few pursue something far more ambitious: changing how the world perceives an entire nation. Looking back on more than two decades of building LuxGroup, it becomes clear that Dr. Pham Ha has never been interested in simply creating memorable holidays. His vision has always been to transform every journey into a meaningful story, every guest into a cultural ambassador, and every travel experience into a positive contribution to Vietnam’s global image. That is a far more demanding game than competing on price, market share, or the number of visitors served.

You can read the complete article: https://luxgroup.vn/pham-has-real-business-isnt-travel-its-shaping-how-the-world-sees-vietnam/

The first look into the face of a new breeding male giraffe, here still in its home Safaripark Beekse Bergen. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

He measures over five meters, but he is not a slob. He weighs 1,238 kilograms, but he boasts long legs and excellent condition. He belongs to a cautious species of animal, and yet he has blood taken from his jugular vein. And although he has been in the world for nine years, he has not yet had the opportunity to reproduce. This is a new breeding male Nubian giraffe, who arrived at Prague Zoo from the Dutch Safaripark Beekse Bergen. Eight-year-old Finn is becoming a pillar of the future of Prague breeding. People can see him now.

“The arrival of the male is the result of several years of effort and, at the same time, the continuation of the rejuvenation process of our giraffe herd,” says Barbora Dobiášová, curator of ungulates. Due to several deaths of individuals at a ripe old age and the subsequent pause in reproduction, the number of giraffes in the African House fell to a historic low of just six animals in 2023. “The birth of Johanka in the summer of 2024, the arrival of the young female Niara from Leipzig this March, and finally the current arrival of the male Finn are planned steps to restore a stable breeding herd,” Dobiášová summarizes.

Chief ungulate breeder Aleš Doležal (pictured left) went to the Netherlands to see Finn in person. Here he documents the important progress of his veterinary training so that he could continue it in Prague. Photo Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

Finding a suitably old and genetically compatible male of the Nubian subspecies of the northern giraffe was not an easy task. The already demanding movements of giraffes, for which it is necessary to use the tallest transport trailers, were delayed by bluetongue disease. Veterinary measures responding to its spread in Western and Central Europe complicate or even make impossible the transport of even-toed ungulates between the member states of the European Union, which also applies to giraffes.

A male giraffe loaded into a special transport vehicle. We would like to thank our colleagues from Safari Park Dvůr Králové for the transport, who have extensive experience in transporting the tallest animals on the planet. Photo Arianne Van Den Boogaard

The coordinator of the European Breeding Program (EEP) finally recommended a male from the largest zoo in the Netherlands, Safaripark Beekse Bergen, on the outskirts of Tilburg. Finn was born there on March 19, 2018. His mother, also a Dutch native named Theluji, is the largest of all the nearly twenty females there. This was also reflected in her son, as Finn was also the largest male when he left.

After weaning, Finn lived in a male herd; this will be his first opportunity to breed at Prague Zoo. “He has a reputation for being a calm and gentle animal, which he confirmed immediately upon arrival. He is very kind to all the females and also to us, the breeders,” says Aleš Doležal, the head breeder of ungulates. According to him, it is clear that the male lived in a cosmopolitan enclosure with other species of animals. “He seems curious and, despite the typical conservative nature of giraffes, he doesn’t seem to mind any movement and nothing will upset him,” he adds, adding that Finn is already mated with eight Prague females and the breeders are looking forward to his first heat.

Here Finn is already getting to know his new roommates in the African Savannah at Prague Zoo. However, the two female Grévy’s zebras probably had more important things to do at the time the photo was taken. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Whether Finn will take on the role of breeding male as successfully as his predecessor will only be revealed in the future. The bar is really high: The previous male Johan lived at Prague Zoo for more than 18 years. During that time, he fathered 30 cubs and thus became the most reproductively successful male giraffe in the history of Prague Zoo. At the time of his death, he was also the oldest male in the European studbook at 23 years, 7 months and 6 days.

Nubian giraffes (formerly known as Rothschild giraffes) have been bred at the Prague Zoo since the 1970s. This subspecies of the northern giraffe is currently listed as “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Finn’s height of over five meters stands out in comparison to other giraffes. Especially with young females, which are shorter. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

A herd of nine giraffes can be seen in the Prague Zoo’s vast African Savanna enclosure, along with zebras, oryx and ostriches. Every day at 11 a.m. (weather permitting), there is also a guided tour on the observation deck. The giraffes can also be seen outside after 5 p.m., when the zoo entrance fee is just 100 CZK, until the end of August.

Females Johanka and Niara show interest in Finn. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Foto: Gonzalo Núñez, Radio Prague International

Más de 60 funcionarios checos acaban de terminar un curso intensivo de español gratuito gracias a una iniciativa de la Embajada de Colombia en Praga. Y quieren más. Que sigan los cursos. Aunque eso está todavía por verse.

“Agradecer especialmente a nuestra querida profesora Diana Hincapié, por su paciencia, por su dedicación y por su entusiasmo.

See more here.

Author: Gonzalo Núñez

Photo: Viet Up

An exhibition now on display at Prague’s Holešovice Market Hall explores what it means to grow up between two cultures. Little Hanoi: Next Generation combines large-scale portraits with personal stories to introduce the children of Vietnamese immigrants who settled in former Czechoslovakia decades ago. Ruth Fraňková went along to find out more.

The exhibition follows up on the original Little Hanoi project from 2008, created by photographers Štěpánka Stein and Salim Issa, which documented the first generation of Vietnamese immigrants who arrived in what was then Czechoslovakia in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Marek Hensl, Czech Radio

Researchers in Brno have developed a portable device that does more than identify illegal drugs. It can also trace their origin and connect samples to previous cases, offering investigators valuable new intelligence. The technology has already attracted interest from police in both Czechia and the United States.

The device can not only identify illegal drugs but also determine their origin and link them to previous cases.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

The Prague Archbishopric has abandoned plans to sell the historic Jindřišská Tower in the heart of Prague after spending several years searching for a buyer. It will now negotiate exclusively with the city of Prague, although it has not said whether the discussions will concern a sale, a lease, or some other form of cooperation.

The 65.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Photo: Film Servis Festival Karlovy Vary

Swiss actress and screenwriter Anna Schinz presented A Happy Family this weekend at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where the drama directed by her partner Jan-Eric Mack had its world premiere. The first Swiss film ever selected for the festival’s main competition, A Happy Family follows Niki, a single mother struggling to make ends meet in one of Europe’s wealthiest countries, as she faces the risk of losing custody of her children. Combining social realism with emotional restraint, the film sheds light on working poverty in Switzerland while avoiding easy moral judgments. Anna Schinz, whose mother is Czech, spoke to Radio Prague International after the screening about the film, her writing process and her personal connection to the Czech Republic.

Being in Karlovy Vary must be quite different than any other international festival for you since you have Czech roots, don’t you?.

See more here.

Author: Alexis Rosenzweig

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

Many people have been suffering from the heat here in the Czech Republic, with all-time record temperatures registered on consecutive days at the end of last week. One group particularly at risk in such extreme weather are the homeless community.

Like much of Europe, Czechia has recently been hit by an intense heatwave.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Patrik Uhlíř, ČTK

Between now and July 12 visitors to the Festival of Planets, underway on Brno’s Kraví hora, can admire ten-metre-high models of celestial bodies, enjoy projections in the digital planetarium, and watch some of the best sci-fi films at the open-air cinema. The summer Festival of Planets has attracted visitors since 2019, when it was launched to mark the 50th anniversary of the first landing on the Moon.

See more here.

Photo: © Barrandov Studio a.s.

The witch trials in northern Moravia claimed nearly two hundred lives and remain one of the darkest episodes in the history of today’s Czechia. In Blood in Bohemia, a special series of Czechast, Vít Pohanka and Rob Cameron revisit the story with historian Jaroslav Čechura. The episode explores both the traditional interpretation of the trials and a thought-provoking new perspective on their origins.

The witch trials that swept through northern Moravia during the late seventeenth century have become a symbol of fear, torture and injustice.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka, Rob Cameron

Photo: Profimedia

Rising temperatures and declining oxygen levels are causing more frequent fish die-offs in Czech rivers, prompting new efforts to monitor and protect freshwater ecosystems. Scientists and water authorities are deploying advanced technologies to track water quality and better understand how climate change is reshaping aquatic life.

During hot summer days, one of the most common ways to cool down is by going for a swim.

See more here.

Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: University of Sheffield

Neil Bermel is Professor of Czech Language and Linguistics at the University of Sheffield, where he has been teaching for nearly three decades. He was among the scholars who gathered in Prague for the Seventh World Congress of Bohemian Studies and, during the event, received the Josef Dobrovský Medal for outstanding contributions to Czech studies. I sat down with him to talk about what first drew him to the Czech language, who chooses to study Czech today, and the challenges and opportunities facing the field.

You’ve spent nearly three decades teaching Czech language and linguistics at the University of Sheffield.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

H.E. Mrs. Batsaikhan Bolormaa, the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia, based in Prague, hosted a welcome reception at the Ballroom at the Hilton Atrium Prague.

The reception was attended by ministers and members of the Parliament. The Senate, and many officials from the Government offices.

The honored speakers were Mrs. Marie Chatardová, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and PhDr. Jiří Šíma, DrSc., Mongol scholar.

Watch the video with the speeches of H.E. Mrs. Batsaikhan Bolormaa, Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic, Mrs. Marie Chatardová, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and PhDr. Jiří Šíma, DrSc., Mongol scholar.

Good luck Your Excellency

H.E. Mr. Claudio J. Rozencwaig, the Ambassador of Argentina to the Czech Republic, and the Embassy of Argentina in Prague, in partnership with Piantado Wines, hosted an exclusive Asado and Wine Tasting at the beautiful garden of the Official Ambassador’s residence.

During this event, the guests enjoyed premium products that characterize the Argentine cuisine: bone-in meat asado (by Tierra de Campeones) cooked with natural hardwood charcoal (by Carbo-Ar) and wines (by Staphyle winery).

Watch the Video with highlights from the welcome speech of H.E. Mr. Claudio Javier ROZENCWAIG, the Ambassador of Argentina to the Czech Republic, and Tristan Marek, the owner of “Piantado”.

We are looking forward to visiting Argentina and tasting this delicious food on the spot.

And a special thank you from our dogs: Dexter & Boomer. They loved to chew the bones.

Manulas in the Gobi exhibit tend to save energy during hot summer days and activate only in the later hours. Pictured is a male Spay. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Starting 1^st July, an early evening walk to the Prague Zoo will cost just one hundred crowns. During the summer holidays, all visitors pay CZK 100 for entry to the Prague Zoo after 5 p.m. The discount is valid from 1 July to 31 August and applies to physical tickets purchased at any box office between 5 pm and 7 pm. The gates to the zoo, indoor pavilions, and restaurants close at 7 p.m., but the grounds are open until 9 p.m.

“Last year, the summer early-evening discount on the entrance fee proved effective, because it motivated the people of Prague in particular to visit the zoo on weekdays after work and thus take advantage of the long summer evenings,” says director of Prague Zoo Lenka Poliaková. “According to our experience, people also avoided hot days in this way or went to specifically observe animals that become more active at sunset, such as Tasmanian devils, small and large felines, or wolves,” he adds.

Other animals active in the early evening include wombats, fossas, tayres, nosedives, red pandas, and various birds.

In addition to owls, they are species used to fly over to roost. It is very lively under the cable car in the walk-through aviary of the African Rock, further on in the Bird Wetlands exhibition complex, where you can observe cranes and various waders in the late hours, or in Darwin’s Crater, where cockatoos and rusty quacks will catch your eye.

The walk-through aviary of African Rock in the lower part of the zoo is lively in the evening. Pictured is the flagship species of this exhibit, the endangered rock ibis. Photo by Tereza Mrhálková, Prague Zoo

The holiday discount on the entrance fee is valid after 5 p.m. for adults, students, children, pensioners, and visitors with dogs. The exception is pensioners over the age of 70, who are of course still allowed to enter the Prague Zoo for a symbolic 1 CZK.

Prague Zoo is open every day from 9 a.m. in the summer. During hot days, visitors and animals are cooled by a total of 28 bivalves, which freshen the air across the zoo grounds.

The Global Report on Women in Tourism Transport, launched, provides the first global, sex-disaggregated evidence base on women working across air, land and water passenger transport. It identifies the legal, cultural and structural barriers limiting women’s access to decent work, career progression and leadership.

The findings show that tourism transport remains acutely male-dominated. In countries with available data:

• Women make up 36% of aviation workers but just 6% of pilots, with men continuing to dominate technical, flight deck and leadership positions.
• 96% of all tourism transport workers are in land passenger transport, yet only 3% of them are women.
• Just 12% of water passenger transport workers are women, with significant gaps in managerial and technical roles.
• Safety, sanitation and legal protection remain major barriers. One in five countries still lacks legal protections against harassment at work.

Read more : https://www.untourism.int/news/un-tourism-and-itf-call-for-action-on-women-in-tourism-transport?utm_source=nr&utm_medium=crm&utm_campaign=mailing

Women Leaders America is a global initiative of the CD Foundation that promotes female leadership in various countries. Its purpose is to create a transformative space where committed women and their male allies work together to promote gender equality and equity, challenging the social and cultural barriers that persist in today’s world.

With more than a decade of history, this community has proven to be an effective platform for empowering women as agents of social, economic, and political change.

You can read more and join here: https://fundacioncd.org/unete/

Fuente: Pixabay/Radio Prague International

Para celebrar el 90 aniversario de Radio Praga Internacional, os preguntamos qué significa RPI para cada uno de vosotros.

Durante nueve décadas, nuestra emisora ha transmitido desde Praga al mundo, a menudo en contextos complejos.

See more here.

Photo: Václav Šálek, ČTK

Scorching heat failed to deter visitors to this year’s International Folklore Festival in Strážnice, South Moravia. One of the highlights was the final of the Slovácko verbuňk, a traditional male solo dance often accompanied by song. This year’s winner was Petr Polách (pictured).

See more here.

Photo: Pavel Halla, Czech Radio

Where land was once drained, water is now being held back. Forest managers in Western Bohemia are reversing decades-old practices by creating ponds and wetlands designed to retain moisture and support a more diverse forest landscape.

The landscape around Rokycany has seen significant changes in recent years.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Source: Měsíc autorského čtení

Throughout July, the Author’s Reading Month (Měsíc autorského čtení, MAČ) will bring together Czech and international writers in a literary format unlike any other in Europe. This year’s guest of honour is Greenland, whose little-known literary scene will be showcased through around 30 events in Brno and five other cities. Pavel Drábek, the festival’s international programme director, translator and academic, told Radio Prague International why this choice has been years in the making and goes far beyond current geopolitical headlines.

The festival opens this Wednesday with Greenlandic artist and writer Jessie Kleemann alongside Czech author Jáchym Topol, and will end on July 31 with a special appearance by Togolese writer and explorer Tété-Michel Kpomassie, author of An African in Greenland, a travel memoir that has become a classic.

See more here.

Author: Alexis Rosenzweig

Building connections and making new friends can enrich both your personal life and your career. In Brno, Hungarian entrepreneur Ágnes Boháčová Szabó has made it her mission to help people do just that

See more here.

Photo: Petr Hamerník, ZOO Praha

Prague Zoo has welcomed a new Cape fur seal pup, the great-grandson of the legendary Gaston, whose dramatic escape during the devastating floods of 2002 made headlines around the world. I discussed the latest arrival and Gaston’s lasting legacy with Prague Zoo spokesperson Filip Mašek.

The new pup was born on June 5, but the zoo only announced the news last week.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Source: Ústav pro českou literaturu AV ČR

Scholars from 25 countries have gathered in Prague for the 7th World Czech Studies Congress, held this year under the theme Literature and Languages in Dialogue. I spoke with Dalibor Dobiáš, a researcher at the Institute of Czech Literature at the Czech Academy of Sciences and one of the congress organisers, about this year’s programme and how the field of Czech studies is evolving.

This year’s World Czech Studies Congress is taking place under the title Literature and Languages in Dialogue.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Jaroslav Svoboda, KoresponDance

An American choreographer working with local residents on the banks of the Sázava River. Performances filling historic courtyards, streets and parks. CorresponDance has grown into an international celebration of contemporary dance rooted in the Czech countryside.

The first sounds visitors hear are not those of an orchestra but of running water, percussion instruments and children laughing beside the Sázava River.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Photo: Gonzalo Núñez, Radio Prague International

A huge concrete wall in Prague’s Ruzyně district is being transformed into one of Europe’s longest collaborative murals. Thirty artists from Czechia and abroad are taking part in the project, which will become a permanent open-air gallery. RF went to see the artists at work.

The 700-metre wall surrounds Ministry of Defence property along Vlastina Street in Prague’s Ruzyně district.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Photo: Antoan Pepelanov, Radio Prague International

Chef, food writer and cookbook author Evie Harbury is the author of My Bohemian Kitchen, which introduces international readers to Czech food through recipes and personal stories. Inspired by her childhood between England and the Czech Republic, the book also draws on family memories and traditions. I caught up with Harbury during a recent visit to Prague to talk about her grandmother’s influence on her cooking, the inspiration behind the book, and why she thinks Czech cuisine remains one of Europe’s most overlooked culinary traditions.

You have just come over from England.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

H.E. Youngki Hong, Ambassador of Korea, and Mrs. Hyojin Kim, hosted a farewell reception at the beautiful Korean Embassy.

The honored guests were RNDr. Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, and Mr. Karel Havlicek, Deputy PM and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

The tradition, “Silver Plate ceremony,” was conducted by H.E. Mr. Claudio Javier ROZENCWAIG, Ambassador of Argentina, and Reverend Father N´gbesso Vital Akele OHOCHI, CDA of the Holy See.

Watch the video with highlights from the ceremony, including a few special surprises and the cultural program.

Farewell, Mr. Ambassador, and Mrs. Kim

안녕히 가세요, 대사님과 김 여사님.

It was a very unique event. A farewell party, with a lot of fun and good energy. A great way to end 5 years of serving as the Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to the Czech Republic, and a long, successful diplomatic career.

The Ambassador chose to do it on the rooftop of Radost, with a great view of the Prague sunset.

The speech was short, but the Eurovision party, with a live show of ADOXS, the 2025 Czech contestant, was the fun program.

Farewell, Mr. Ambassador, and thank you for such a great, fun party.

Watch the video with highlights from the party

On the occasion of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, the Embassy of Italy in Prague organized an event dedicated to highlighting the significant contribution of women in diplomatic, bilateral, and multilateral environments.

The works were introduced by the Deputy Head of Mission, Ms. Laura Calligaro, who coordinated the initiative.

A round table, moderated by Adriana Dergam from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Charles IV University of Prague, in which the Ambassador of Indonesia, H.E. Ms.Rina P. Soermarno, the Special Envoy of the Czech Government for the Balkans, Ms. Edita Hrdá, the Deputy Director of the Czech Department for Western Europe, ms. Jana Šedivá, and the Canadian Deputy Head of Mission, Ms. Hanna WAJDA, took part.

At the end of the round table, the Director of the United Nations Information Center in Prague, Mr. Michal Broža, provided an overview of the context that led to the establishment of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

Following this, through a video contribution by the head of the Gender and Sociology department of the Czech Academy of Sciences Alena Křížková, an academic perspective on the involvement of women in institutional contexts was illustrated.

The concluding remarks were entrusted to the co-organizer of the initiative, the Ambassador of Spain, H.E. Ms. Maria PEREZ SANCHEZ-LAULHE.

The International Day of Women in Diplomacy was established in 2022 by the UN, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of female participation in diplomatic and multilateral decision-making processes.

Watch the video with highlights from the event.

On Thursday, June 25th, 2026, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary at Prague Castle.

H.E. Mrs. Batsaikhan Bolormaa, the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia, based in Prague.

H.E. Mr. Gabriel Orellana Zabalza, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Guatemala based in Vienna;

H.E. Mr. AbdiAsis Mohamud Mohamed, the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Somalia based in Berlin.

The Turkish Ambassador to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Metin Feyzioğlu, hosted a reception at the embassy residence in honor of the Kayseri delegation.

The reception was attended by Mrs. Marie Chatardová, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, along with her delegation, Czech and Turkish businesspeople, and project partners, sending a strong message on strengthening bilateral commercial and economic ties.

Watch the Video with highlights from the reception.

Digital Connection Project Builds Business Bridge Between Türkiye-Kayseri, Czechia, and Belgium

PRAGUE – Supported by the European Union, the Experience Sharing & Evaluation Meeting for the “Digi Connect: Digital Connection and Cooperation Network Between Chambers of Commerce” project was held in Prague with the participation of representatives from Türkiye, Czechia, and Belgium. Jointly executed by the Czech Chamber of Commerce, the Kayseri Chamber of Commerce, and the Belgian Flemish-Brabant Chamber of Commerce, the event featured the introduction of a multilingual digital platform designed to facilitate cross-border trade for SMEs.

The Experience Sharing and Evaluation Event of the Digi Connect project took place on June 23, 2026, hosted by the Czech Chamber of Commerce in Prague.

The event gathered prominent figures, including Vladimír Dlouhý, President of Eurochambres (the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry); Radek Jakubský, Vice President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce; H.E. Mr.Metin Feyzioğlu, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the Czech Republic; Ömer Gülsoy, President of the Kayseri Chamber of Commerce; Tim Van Rooy, Director of the Flemish-Brabant Chamber of Commerce; and Murad CahidCingi, Chairman of the Türkiye-Czech Republic Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group and Member of Parliament for Kayseri.

During the event, representatives from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the CzechInvest, the Turkish Commercial Counsellor’s Office in Prague, and the Czech-Turkish Joint Chamber of Commerce delivered presentations on investment opportunities and economic relations between the two countries.

A Cross-Border Digital Network for SMEs

The primary objective of the project is to develop a multilingual, user-oriented digital platform for business professionals who are members of the chambers of commerce in Kayseri (Türkiye), Czechia, and Flemish-Brabant (Belgium).

This platform is expected to ease cross-border connectivity among SMEs, enhance the digital visibility of companies, and enable B2B matchmaking, data sharing, and sector-based interaction, allowing chambers to provide advanced digital services to their members.

Critical Sectors Meet for B2B Matchmaking

Attended by representatives from Türkiye’s Mimarsinan and İncelsu Organized Industrial Zones, the Innovative Businessmen Association (INOVDER), the Kayseri Furniture Manufacturers Association (KAYMOS), MÜSİAD, and ASKON, the event hosted comprehensive bilateral business-to-business (B2B) meetings.

Numerous Turkish and Czech companies from vital sectors—such as defense, metal processing, healthcare, packaging, construction, household appliances, machinery manufacturing, chemicals, and furniture—participated in the matchmaking sessions.

Diplomatic Reception at the Embassy Residence

Prior to the project meeting, the Turkish Ambassador to Prague, Metin Feyzioğlu, hosted a reception at the embassy residence on June 22, 2026, in honor of the Kayseri delegation of approximately 45 people.

The reception was attended by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechia, Marie Chatardová, along with her delegation, Czech and Turkish businesspeople, and project partners, sending a strong message on strengthening bilateral commercial and economic ties.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Prague and TAT – Tourism Authority of Thailand (Prague) organized an Amazing Thailand festival on the Promenade.

The event started with a minute of silence, In Memoriam – To Her Royal Highness Bajrakitiyabha, Princess Rajasarini Siribajra of Thailand.

H.E. Mr. Pichit BOONSUD – Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand in the Czech Republic, and Ms.Cholada Siddhivarn ( Joy)  the manager of the TAT Prague office, greeted the large crowd that attended the festival.

Prague’s Smíchov Náplavka was transformed into Thailand for one day. Even the weather was warm, like in Thailand.

The Amazing Thailand Festival offered dance, music, traditional Thai martial arts, authentic gastronomy, and the unique atmosphere of Southeast Asia.

From 12:00 until the evening, Thousands of people enjoyed a great atmosphere, full of traditional dances, live music, energetic Muay Thai demonstrations, stalls with Thai massages, products, and exotic fruits.

Many fun workshops and a tombola for visitors, authentic Thai gastronomy – with specialty offers from Thai chefs- exotic tastes and aromas that are as integral to Thai culture as music and dance.

All activities were free of charge.

Watch the Video with the speeches of H.E. Mr. Pichit BOONSUD – Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand in the Czech Republic, Ms. Cholada Siddhivarn ( Joy), the manager of the TAT Prague office, and highlights from the cultural program.

The 11^th Polish Day in one of the most beautiful gardens in Prague, on Saturday, June 20.

The Polish Day in Gardens was first held in 2017 at the initiative of the Polish Institute in Prague. This event was organized by the Polish Institute together with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Prague and in cooperation with the Prague office of the Polish Tourist Organization.

The most attractive tourist attractions of Poland and presentations of its regions, from lakes to mountains, competitions for children and adults, Polish music and gastronomy awaited visitors to the Polish Day in the Gardens. Once a year, during this event, the gates of the fairy-tale garden of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland are opened to the public free of charge.

The official part of the event started with greetings from Ms. Barbara Krystyna TUGE-ERECIŃSKA – CDA of the Republic of Poland to the Czech Republic, and the representative of the main sponsor – Orlen Unipetrol.

This year’s event was attended by approximately four thousand people.

The musical star of this year’s eleventh Polish Day in the Gardens was the legend of Polish rock Lech Janerka, and his band. World music also sounded on the outdoor stage – Beata Bocek, a Czech-Polish singer-songwriter from the Cieszyn region, performed with her guitar and accordion.

The event was opened at 1 p.m. by the Representative Wind Orchestra of the Wieliczka Salt Mines: first with a colorful parade and then a concert in the garden of the Polish Embassy.

During the Polish Day, visitors could win a weekend stay in Wrocław and also take part in other competitions for prizes, such as a knowledge quiz about Poland.

The garden of the Polish Embassy offers a beautiful view of Prague Castle, but this event also offers a unique opportunity to get to know the Polish regions and their tourist attractions in the center of Prague.

This year it was Lower Silesia and its metropolis Wrocław, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Lublin and Lubusz Voivodeships, Lesser Poland, Subcarpathian Voivodeship and the town of Rudnik nad Sanem, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Silesia and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.

For children and adults, representatives of the regions prepared, for example, a climbing wall, a demonstration of knightly duels, scientific experiments or a fashion show of wicker clothes, tastings of regional cuisine specialties and a rich offer of workshops, including handmade paper production, wicker knitting, Małopolska beads, baking gingerbread, painting porcelain or tying boatman’s knots. This year’s novelty was a field kitchen with pea soup prepared by soldiers from the 10th Opole Logistics Brigade.

An important topic of this year’s Polish Day was also cycling and cycling routes – for example, the Green Velo route, which runs through five Polish regions and is almost two thousand kilometers long.

The Polish Day in Gardens is supported by the Orlen Unipetrol Foundation (main partner) and Allegro.

Watch the video with highlights from this fun event.

Photo: Monika Doležalová, Czech Radio

With summer approaching and the climate crisis progressing, it is likely that new temperature records will once again be recorded at Prague’s Clementinum meteorological station with more than 250 years old tradition. Nevertheless, scientists point out that data collected there should be interpreted with caution.

Encountering the whims of the weather is a universal experience.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Foto: Juan Pablo Bertazza, Radio Prague International

Con una mirada antropológica y una pasión genuina por el intercambio cultural, Petra Smutná desmonta la fama de lengua indomable y muestra que el checo puede dominarse con humor, comunidad y perseverancia.

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Author: Juan Pablo Bertazza

Photo: Facebook of iboleslav.cz

Four hundred years ago, the elephant Hansken was a European attraction that also visited the town of Mladá Boleslav. Today, in the same place, a metal sculpture of her has been created as part of the 13th edition of the Metal Symposium, which once again brought several international artists to the city.

A female Indian elephant originating from Ceylon named Hansken was one of the greatest European sensations in the 1630s.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

St. Vitus Cathedral, the dominant feature of Prague Castle, is known as the site of coronations, state funerals and major religious ceremonies. For nearly a century, however, it has also attracted filmmakers.

Perhaps the most famous Prague landmark, Prague Castle together with St.

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Author: Romana Grajcarová

Photo: George Napolitano, SplashNews.com / Profimedia

The 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, which begins next Friday, is set to welcome absolute Hollywood royalty, in the form of Dustin Hoffman. Other names just revealed by the organisers include actors Juliette Binoche, Jeffrey Wright, Kevin Bacon and – making his third visit – Harvey Keitel. I spoke to Karlovy Vary’s artistic director, Karel Och, after Tuesday morning’s announcement.

What does it mean for you to bring a star of the calibre of Dustin Hoffman to this year’s festival?.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: History of the Institute for Archaeological Heritage

Czech archaeologists have announced a remarkable discovery in south-eastern Moravia: an almost perfectly preserved Roman jug found in a 1,500-year-old grave. The vessel is thought to be several centuries older than the burial itself and survived even though the grave was robbed long ago.

The discovery was made in May during the construction of a cycle path near Nezamyslice, a small town just south of Olomouc.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

The execution of twenty-seven leaders of the Bohemian Revolt on Prague’s Old Town Square ranks among the most dramatic public executions in European history. In this episode of Blood in Bohemia, a special series of Czechast, Rob Cameron and Vít Pohanka retrace the events that followed the Battle of White Mountain and examine how one morning in June 1621 transformed the Czech lands for centuries.

On the morning of June 21, 1621, Prague’s Old Town Square became the stage for one of the most carefully orchestrated political spectacles in Habsburg history.

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Author: Vít Pohanka, Rob Cameron

Photo: Vít Šimánek, ČTK

After enjoying success as a pop singer in the MTV era, Julian Lennon has since focused much of his attention on other fields, including photography. A small exhibition drawn from his book Life’s Fragile Moments has just opened at the Leica Gallery in Prague, a city he has visited repeatedly. I spoke to Lennon at a press preview.

Many of our listeners will know you from your hits back in the day.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Photo: Alexis Rosenzweig, Radio Prague International

Few Holocaust testimonies are as vivid and comprehensive as the illustrated diary created by Alfred Kantor. Born in Prague in 1923, the young Jewish artist was deported to Terezín in December 1941 as part of the first transport of men sent to establish the ghetto. Two years later, he was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where he was imprisoned in the so-called Terezín Family Camp before being transferred to the Schwarzheide concentration camp in Germany.

The Auschwitz Museum has recently acquired Alfred Kantor’s original sketchbook.

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Author: Alexis Rosenzweig

Photo: Petr Kadlec, Troja Festival

Classical music and unusual venues will come together in Prague’s Troja district from Thursday as the Troja Festival returns for its third edition. Running until June 23 and themed Between Heaven and Earth, the festival aims to connect music with some of the city’s most distinctive settings. Ahead of the event, I spoke with one of its founders, Martina Výrková, and first asked her how it all began.

“We started in 2023, when it was just a dream of violinist Jozef Špaček, who lives in Troja and envisioned a festival that would bring music to its beautiful locations.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková