Illustrative photo: Czech Radio
To celebrate International Children’s Day, traditionally observed on June 1st, this edition of Sunday Music Show highlights Czech children’s songs across a range of styles—from folk and jazz to rock and playful “baby punk.” While originally created with young listeners in mind, these songs often carry a charm and creativity that appeal far beyond childhood.
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Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Jiří Šeda, Czech Radio
Czech Radio station Plus hosted the Truth in Motion conference, focusing on the quality of information and the role of the media. Among the speakers was Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
“The European Union alone cannot compel Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire.
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On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan
H.E. Mr. Yashar ALIYEV, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, hosted a reception at the Hilton Hotel in Prague.
Mr. Jan Marian – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic- was the honored speaker.
Watch the video with the speeches of H.E. Mr. Yashar ALIYEV, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Mr. Jan Marian, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
Happy Independence Day Republic of Azerbaijan
Azərbaycan Respublikasının Müstəqillik Günü mübarək
On the occasion of the National Day, Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Croatia, and 1100 Years from the first Croatian King Tomislav, the Ambassador of Croatia, H.E. Mrs. Ljiljana Pancirov, and the Defense Attache Col. Zdravko Barbaric host a reception and presentation of the tourism in the region is Central Dalmatia at the historic New Town Hall in Prague.
Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Mrs. Ljiljana Pancirov – Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Josko Stella from the tourism in the region is Central Dalmatia, and the beautiful cultural program.
Happy National Day, Croatia
Sretan Dan državnosti, Hrvatska
Cobra is the traditional and largest Czech supplier of door hardware, established by Corner Boda 35 years ago.
The company is a family-owned business managed by Corner Boda and his daughter, Kristina.
We can open any door. And any window. We can decorate the interior of your apartment and secure the doors of your house, it’s their way of life.
Read the interview with Cornel and Kristina Boda, published in our printing magazine – https://www.czechleaders.com/interviews/cornel-kristina-boda/
We wish you continued success in the years to come.
Bongs in a picture taken in the breeding and Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy rescue station. Through it, Prague Zoo supports the program for the reintroduction of bongs into the wild, specifically by financing the planting of forest cover, to which this species is strictly tied. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
The upcoming weekend at Prague Zoo will belong to one of the rarest mammals in the world and to child visitors. On Saturday, World Bongo Day will be celebrated, when people will get to know these critically endangered antelopes, which Prague Zoo also protects in their home country of Kenya. On Sunday, on Children’s Day, all children under 15 years of age will have one crown of admission to the Prague Zoo, while the program will be traditionally provided by the Prague City Police. In addition, with the arrival of June, commented feedings and meetings with the animals will begin to take place every day – their schedule will be available in the Prague Zoo mobile application.
“Mountain bongos are beautiful but critically endangered antelopes: only a few dozen of them survive in the forests of the Aberdare region in Kenya. The hope for saving this subspecies is to strengthen the wild population with individuals raised in human care, which, however, must be accompanied by efforts to preserve or restore their natural environment. Thanks to the initiative of breeder Lucie Křížová and her colleagues, Prague Zoo is also involved in this,” says Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek. On the last Saturday in May, visitors can expect two commented bongo feedings at 11:00 and 13:30. In addition, they will be able to meet long-time bongo breeder Lucie Křížová during special meetings at 10:00 and 12:00 at their enclosure next to the Hippo Pavilion. Prague Zoo is now home to four bongos – eight-year-old females Daphne and Rayli, a young female Mimi Pipi born in 2023, and an almost three-year-old male Mau.
Mountain bongs are the rarest of the forest antelopes due to habitat loss, poaching and disease. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
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Anyone can support the protection of mountain bongos in Kenya through the Prague Zoo collection account. We help them survive. For example, by transferring any amount to the account 43–680 466 0247/0100 or by purchasing souvenirs at the Prague Zoo e-shop in the section called We help them survive. Last but not least, visit Prague Zoo.
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On the first Sunday in June, when all children under 15 years of age will have admission to the Prague Zoo for a symbolic one crown, there will be a varied program in the area directed by the Prague Municipal Police. Children will enjoy a bouncy castle, a traffic school, face painting or artists on stilts. Adults can look forward to live music performed by the Dixie Band of the Municipal Police at the Educational Center. The full program is attached below.
Children’s Day with the Municipal Police of the capital. Prague, 9:00–18:00
Long-time bong keeper at Prague Zoo Lucie Křížová will tell visitors about her charges right at their enclosure on Saturday – first at 10 a.m. and then again at noon. Photo Tereza Mrhálková, Prague Zoo
Award-winning organization Memorial finds asylum in the residence of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies for its human rights, research, and educational activities
The human rights and educational organization Memorial, after being banned from operating in the Russian Federation, has found refuge in the Prague residence of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. From there, members of the organization have continued their professional work and research activities since 2022. These are focused both on mapping the crimes of the Soviet regime and on their current interpretation. Among other things, researchers have organized dozens of workshops and countless working meetings in the villa. They were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts.
The internationally recognized historical, educational and human rights organization Memorial has been operating in the villa of the Speakers of the Chamber of Deputies since 2022. Memorial has long been professionally focused on researching the Soviet repressive system and its contemporary reflections. It was banned by the Russian authorities for its activities, and its members faced persecution, bullying, and harsh treatment in their homeland.
“Memorial researchers systematically contribute to shedding light on the darkest chapters of the Soviet Union and the current Russian Federation. Their efforts were even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. It is therefore not surprising that they have long been in the crosshairs of Vladimir Putin’s dictatorial regime for their research and civic activities. I am glad that the villa, which I do not live in myself, was put to meaningful use and could serve a good purpose,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.
For the past two and a half years, up to eight members of the organization have been working in the building of the First Republic functionalist villa from the 1930s on Ladronka in Prague.
“Thanks to the “asylum” provided, Memorial was able to continue its activities and projects, which were forcibly interrupted by the forced judicial liquidation of the organization’s largest branches in Russia and the emigration of many key collaborators. Some of those who had to leave Russia due to the threat of criminal prosecution found long-term refuge in the parliamentary villa – for example, the director of the Memorial library Boris Belenkin or the archivist and historian Irina Ostrovská. They were thus able to smoothly continue their previous activities, continue to expand the Memorial collection with other books, documents or objects, and record further interviews with eyewitnesses – victims of Soviet repressions. Dozens of workshops and working meetings were held in the Prague villa with colleagues from many other Memorial branches who had to leave Russia or continued their work there in difficult conditions. At these meetings, further interconnection of electronic archives and databases, school projects, etc. were agreed upon. Dozens of researchers and activists found temporary residence in the house at Ladronka as part of “The special scholarship program that Memorial announced for its collaborators to maintain its activities. Thanks to the gesture of Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Prague has become, alongside Berlin or Paris, the main support in preserving the important work of Memorial, which works in a unique way with the memory of Soviet repression and also monitors the current enormous human rights violations in Russia and the situation with the growing number of political prisoners,” added Štěpán Černoušek, Chairman of the Memorial Czech Republic.
The period of use of the premises was initially agreed with the management of the Chamber of Deputies for six months. Taking into account the mutual interest, it was then repeatedly extended after its expiration. The Memorial organization undertook to cover the costs of using the facility, which was provided to them free of charge.
Photo: APF Czech Radio
It’s been nearly 60 years since Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia. But as investigative journalist Jaroslav Spurný argues in his new book, “Vrbětice: The Attack that Changed the Czech Republic”, Russia’s security services never truly left. Their tactics evolved—from military occupation to covert sabotage, money laundering, and disinformation campaigns. And Czech politicians, knowingly or not, often helped make it possible.
In the early hours of August 21, 1968, the people of Czechoslovakia woke to the rumble of tanks.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Ruth Fraňková, Radio Prague International
A new mural has just been completed on a building along Milady Horákové Street in Prague’s Holešovice district, near Štrossmayer Square. Created by the masked street artist Toy Box, the large-scale work pays tribute to Milada Horáková, the democratic politician executed in a communist show trial in 1950. Featuring a fragmented portrait and a quote from Horáková’s final letter to her daughter, the mural was finished earlier this week.
We are standing here at the bottom of Milady Horákové Street, in front of your stunning new mural—who was the driving force behind this project?.
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Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz
After years of debate and determined civic effort, Czechia has finally adopted postal voting for its citizens living abroad. For many, it’s not just a logistical reform, but a powerful act of recognition. In this episode of Czechast, we speak with those who helped make it happen—and those who will now benefit from the change. It’s a story of activism, identity, and democratic belonging.
In the latest episode of Czechast, Radio Prague International speaks to three people closely connected to this achievement: Julie O’Donovan, Marta McCabe, and political scientist Petr Just.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz
The Museum of Literature in Prague is hosting a powerful new exhibition—centred around a remarkable item on loan from London. At its heart is a rare English edition of Karel Čapek’s Letters from England, signed and dedicated in the autumn of 1941 by twenty Czechoslovak parachute trainees in the UK. Among them was Jan Kubiš, one of the men who would later carry out the assassination of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich.
The exhibition at the Museum of Literature began on Tuesday, May 27, at exactly 10:31 a.
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Author: Ruth Fraňková
Children and teenagers in Czechia are increasingly turning to violence as a way to express themselves, according to the Interior Ministry’s annual report on extremism for 2024.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Archive of Veronika Novotná
Depression, loneliness, and suicide rates continue to increase. According to some data, in 2021, suicide was the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 29. As a result, some UN Youth Delegates have called on the UN and other world leaders to make mental health one of their top priorities in the coming years, and perhaps, decades. One of them is Czech UN Youth Delegate Veronika Novotná, who outlined the document she co-wrote that focuses on this salient issue.
So, the Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health.
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Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Miloš Skácel, Prague Coffee Festival
Filtruj! 2025 is a sister event to Prague Coffee Festival, that functions as another opportunity for coffee enthusiasts in Prague, and for those visiting the city, to celebrate the country’s coffee culture. This year’s Filtruj! festival was held at the scenic National Library of the Czech Republic in Klementinum on May 24. Due to my fondness for great coffee, I went there to speak to its head coordinator Tereza Vybíralová.
First, let’s talk about some of the inspirations behind this year’s coffee festival, Filtruj.
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Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Sixteen EU countries, among them Czechia, have expressed deep concern over Hungary’s recent laws targeting the LGBT+ community.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Danny Bate, Radio Prague International
On May 27th, the ‘Day of Czech’ (Den češtiny) is serving up a multi-genre programme of linguistic events, designed to inform Czech speakers about their language and help them to look at it with new eyes. Aimed in the morning at school groups, and later on the general public, the Day of Czech is being held in Prague’s Kampus Hybernská, where Danny Bate met with one of the team behind the event, Dr. Ondřej Dufek.
Who are the organisers of the Day of Czech?.
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Author: Danny Bate
Photo: X / Jan Lipavský
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the National Development Day for the second time. The public was invited to the gardens of the Czernin Palace on Friday, where information stands and key players provided information about the government’s development policy projects and humanitarian aid. Along with this, Africa Day was held on the premises of the Foreign Ministry, where diplomats, investors, and NGOs discussed development policy.
Africa is a geopolitical player of constantly growing importance, as stated by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský at the start of Africa Day.
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Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz
Tyrš House celebrated 100 years since its reconstruction and reopening as the Prague headquarters of the Czech Sokol community in 1925. To mark the occasion, the organisation christened a colourful mural by artist Michal Škapa.
Tyrš House, previously known as the Michna Palace, is an iconic sight of Prague’s Malá Strana district.
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Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International
Dr. Tomáš Páleníček is a leading Czech proponent of the use of psychedelics in certain kinds of psychiatric treatment. The psychiatrist and several colleagues recently appeared in a documentary named Doctor on a Trip that followed them to the Amazon rainforest, where they mapped brain activity during ceremonies centred on ayahuasca, a traditional hallucinogenic drink. I spoke to Páleníček at our Prague studios.
The recent Czech documentary Doctor on a Trip [directed by David Čálek] shows you and your team going to the Amazon fainforest and conducting tests with ayahuasca.
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Author: Ian Willoughby
Photo: Jan Brychta, ČTK
Junior world cyclo-cross vice-champion Barbora Bukovská defeated her rivals by a huge margin of 1 minute and 22 seconds in a spectacular race at the Vysočina Arena. Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing that combines cycling and running, since the terrains force riders to dismount and carry their bicycles over some distances.
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Photo: Petr Vidomus, Czech Radio
Czech guitarist and composer David Dorůžka and Polish pianist Piotr Wyleżoł – two leading names on the Central European jazz scene – have teamed up for a new album titled When the Child Was a Child. Officially launched this week at JazzFestBrno, the record takes its name from Wim Wenders’ film Wings of Desire and offers an acoustic journey drawing on both jazz and folk traditions.
The David Dorůžka & Piotr Wyleżoł Quartet is rounded out by double bassist Michał Barański and drummer Michał Miśkiewicz.
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Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Jiří Trnka’s family archive
A major exhibition dedicated to legendary Czech animator and illustrator Jiří Trnka opened this week at Prague’s Villa Pellé. It brings together both familiar and rarely seen works—from film puppets and book illustrations to paintings and sculptures— showcasing the full range of his creative genius.
Villa Pellé was brimming with visitors on Tuesday for the official opening of Jiří Trnka’s major retrospective.
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Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International
While Czechia prides itself on the quality of its beer, the experience of drinking the golden liquid is just as important as the product itself. Prague has no shortage of good pubs to visit, but as the summer sun shines, it’s more tempting to make the most of the weather and enjoy a glass or two outside.
First on my list is a Prague institution.
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Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Jiří Klůc
We bring you another part of our series focusing on World War II war veterans, a story of a Belgian POW who found himself in Czechoslovakia in May 1945.
In Prague, the uprising has been raging for several days.
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Mark Watson, Pip Utton, Festival Indie and more – May 26-31, 2025 | Various venues in Lesser Town
Prague’s English-language theatre and comedy festival returns for its 24th year this May, and everything is shaping up to be an exceptional year. From May 26-31, Prague Fringe will once again transform the iconic venues of Lesser Town into a vibrant international stage full of theatre, comedy, storytelling, and spoken word.
With 42 productions and over 130 individual performances, the festival is proud to welcome back favorite Fringe regulars, including Pip Utton and Gareth Armstrong, whose critically acclaimed solo performance Shylock opened the first Prague Fringe in 2002. This year, they will be joined by brand new projects, international premieres, and talented new names from around the world.
One of the biggest names this year is British comedian Mark Watson, known for his sharp, lightning humor and appearances on BBC shows such as Mock the Week and Taskmaster. He will headline a rich comedy programme, created in collaboration with Prague’s Metro Comedy Club, which will transform into a center for stand-up and sketch comedy for a week.
Another big draw on the programme is the India Festival, which brings four unique productions from the world’s most populous country – a diverse mix of spoken word, comedy and theatre. Highlights include Love, Laughter & Longing, a moving performance by Priya Malik and Simar Singh on the themes of identity and desire, and The Chai Queens – A Tale of Love & Longing, a theatrical interpretation of love and expectation in a family, connecting stories that resonate across cultures.
This year’s Queer Fringe features bold, genre-defying works that explore identity, pleasure and protest. Don’t miss Fckboy, a raw and humorous look at gender dysphoria and the trans experience; Black Dress, an award-winning solo performance celebrating defiance and queer resilience; and Deeptime Atomic Waste Pleasure Party, a surreal, hedonistic journey into queer eco-futurism.
Whether you are a loyal Fringe fan or a curious newcomer, this year’s Prague Fringe invites you to venture onto the wild side of theatre.
Festival Director Steve Gove says:
“We are incredibly proud of what this year’s programme represents – a truly international celebration of creativity. From big names like Mark Watson, to powerful stories from India, to unforgettable Fringe classics – we are in for a week that will surprise, provoke, and entertain.”
For the full programme and tickets, visit: www.praguefringe.com/programme
Prague Zoo announced the details of the June transport of Przewalski’s horses to the Golden Steppe in central Kazakhstan at a press conference. This time too, it will be an extremely demanding operation.
“This year’s transport will begin on Monday, June 2nd – and just like last year, two Czech military CASA aircraft will fly, one from Prague and the other from Debrecen, Hungary. Each of them should have four Przewalski’s horses on board. This will be our eleventh transport of wild horses from Central Europe to Asia. However, I must admit that preparations have never been accompanied by so many complications,” says Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek.
This year’s transport already knows the names of all the Przewalski’s horse candidates. They are selected mainly according to their character traits, health, age, and genetic suitability – so that they are as little related as possible. This year, two stallions and six mares should head to the Altyn Dala area, or the “Golden Steppe”.
The transport of four selected individuals, who will fly from Prague, will begin in the early morning hours of June 2nd at the breeding and acclimatization station in Dolní Dobřejov. Other horses from the Hortobágy National Park will fly from Debrecen on the same day.
The Prague CASA should take off at approximately 1:30 in the afternoon, and a little later, the plane from Debrecen will take off. There will be stopovers in Istanbul and Baku. The plane’s destination is the airport in Arkalyk. From there, the horses will continue by land to the Alibi reintroduction center. Upon arrival, they will first be released into acclimatization pens. There are also seven horses that Prague Zoo transported here last year in cooperation with the Czech Army. These days, they are already preparing to be released into the wild.
Prague Zoo plans to carry out transports to the Golden Steppe in Kazakhstan in the coming years, in order to ensure a viable and stable population. At the same time, however, it is also preparing a large return of Przewalski’s horses to eastern Mongolia, to the Valley of the Monasteries. Prague Zoo plays a crucial role in the story of the last wild horse. It maintains its International Stud Book and the European Breeding Program.
More details is Czech: (the PDF file)
Czech President Petr Pavel congratulated Nicușor Dan on his election as Romania’s new president.
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Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
In a bid to attract new recruits, the Czech Army transformed Prague’s riverfront into a live demonstration of military prowess. The event featured soldiers rappelling from helicopters, armored vehicles on display, and interactive exhibits for the public.
The Czech Army recently took over Prague’s riverfront, presenting a vivid display of its capabilities to the public.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
It is the duty of today’s generation to compare Nazi lies and euphemisms with those of the present, Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned against propaganda during the memorial ceremony in Terezín.
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Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Hana Slavická, Radio Prague International
From Czech meadows and forests to tropical jungles, dry African steppes, and the mountainous slopes of Asia, Czechia is home to a wide array of botanical gardens. These gardens offer visitors the chance to admire plant species from around the world and serve as vital centres for nature conservation and ecological education.
Near Prague Zoo and the Baroque Troja Chateau lies one of the largest botanical gardens in Czechia.
See more here.
Photo: Ota Blahoušek, Palacký University Olomouc
A unique research project is currently underway at Palacký University in Olomouc. Chemists are studying residues—possibly the remnants of ancient medicines—on medieval medical manuscripts and printed books. The project carried out in collaboration with medical experts, aims to shed new light on historical medical practices.
Until now, most research into medieval prescriptions has focused solely on philological and historical analysis—studying text.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Markéta Lehečková, Olomouc Museum of Art
After seven years of research, scientists have confirmed the origin of human remains found in a mysterious chest in a church in Olomouc – they belonged to the city’s ancient Přemyslid rulers.
In the history of Bohemia and Moravia, ‘Přemyslid’ is a term that looms large.
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Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Sanki2010, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In January 1942, the Kohn family boarded a transport at the Pilsen railway station and never returned. Other tenants moved into their apartment and their belongings were gradually lost. Everything disappeared, except for the diary that twelve-year-old Věrka Kohnová wrote, documenting the last tragic year of her life.
Journalist and writer Jana Poncarová was so moved by the twelve-year-old’s diary that she decided to publish a book based on the entries in collaboration with historian Jiří Sankot.
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Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: HZS Olomouckého kraje
We all come into daily contact with a certain amount of industrially produced chemicals that are known to be harmful to our health. But some professions are more at risk than others. Researchers at Brno’s Masaryk University are conducting a study that indicates that firefighters are at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases due to “eternal chemicals”.
Eternal chemicals are a large group of widely used, industrially produced chemicals that are almost non-degradable by natural processes.
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Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International
Jiří Pehe is one of Czechia’s best-known political scientists, regularly sharing his insights with domestic and international media. But his own story is also noteworthy. After a dramatic 1981 escape to the West, he made a new life in the US. Following the fall of communism he returned to his native country and became a close advisor to President Václav Havel. Pehe then became director of New York University Prague, a position he is about to retire from after more than a quarter of a century.
What was your family background? Was yours a household where politics was discussed among the family?.
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Author: Ian Willoughby
The number of young people in Czechia who smoke classic cigarettes, drink alcohol or use cannabis substances continues to decline, according to the results of the Czech part of the 8th European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD).
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Katarzyna Czerwińska, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 PL
Former Slovak president, Andrej Kiska, gave an interview to Radio Prague International during his visit to the Czech capital, in which he expressed concern about his country’s future under Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government and about a possible Czech rapprochement with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán following this year’s general elections.
In late April, Slovakia’s president from 2014 to 2019, Andrej Kiska, visited the Anglo-American University in Prague to give a talk on “Democracy and Civic Duty.
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Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Source: MZV ČR
Eva Haňková is a Czechoslovak-born centenarian who lives in the United States. She is one of the few surviving people who met Czechoslovakia’s co-founder and first president T.G. Masaryk. The few seconds with the president made her an overnight celebrity. To this day philatelists know her as “the girl from the stamp with President Masaryk”.
When Eva was a little girl growing up in Žďár nad Sázavou her home town was feverishly preparing for a visit by Czechoslovakia’s beloved head of state – President T.
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Photo: Radio Prague International
New research carried out by Czech scientists has revealed that Říp, the country’s most iconic hill, was once a lava lake. The solitary peak formed over 26 million years ago during a powerful volcanic eruption, which sent molten lava into a deep underground crater.
At just over 460 meters above sea level, Říp isn’t the tallest mountain in the country—but its unmistakable shape makes it a dominant feature of the Central Bohemian Uplands, a volcanic landscape north of Prague.
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Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Eva Musterová Marvanová, Czech Radio
Plans are going ahead for the construction of Via Silva Nortica – a cycling path that will connect the Highlands, South Bohemia and Lower Austria. After almost two years of effort, all the land where the path will run has been secured and construction work can begin along individual stretches.
The Via Silva Nortica will pass through the picturesque countryside of the Highlands through South Bohemia and end in Melk, known as one of the pearls of the Danube.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Tomáš Černý, Czech Radio
Visitors can see bears in castle moats across parts of Czechia in Český Krumlov, Točník, and, until recently, Konopiště and Náchod. But the 400-year tradition is increasingly under fire. Critics point to inadequate conditions, while supporters speak of tradition and regular inspections. So, can we expect bears to disappear from Czech castle moats?
The National Heritage Institute (NMI) plans to end animal breeding in castles and chateaus by 2030.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík, Zdeňka Kuchyňová
Photo: Danny Bate, Radio Prague International
Once a year since 1966, thousands of Czechs have put on their walking shoes and set off through the Bohemian countryside to the small town of Prčice. Among the 24,500 walkers this year was RPI’s Danny Bate.
The annual Prague–Prčice March (Pochod Praha–Prčice) is a major milestone in the Czech hiker’s calendar.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Illustrative photo: Klára Škodová, Czech Radio
The skies overhead may be dark and cloudy, but the Czech land below is currently showing worrying signs of drought. What are the causes? And what do meteorologists forecast for the summer months? Danny Bate spoke to bio-climatologist Miroslav Trnka from the Intersucho project, which monitors drought in Czechia, to find out more.
We have some pretty serious analysis from the Intersucho project, with a very scary figure that a quarter of Czechia is experiencing extreme drought this year.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: BCSA British Czech and Slovak Association
Eighty years after the end of World War II, Czech and Slovak communities in London continue to reflect on its legacy. Jana Nahodilová from OKÉNKO and the British Czech and Slovak Association speaks about upcoming events, including a discussion on the Runciman Mission and a film screening of The Auschwitz Report. She also shares plans for a literature festival and summer gathering that celebrate Czech and Slovak life abroad today.
While the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II has already been commemorated in official ceremonies, the Czech and Slovak community in the United Kingdom isn’t finished remembering.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: ČTK
The most well-known Czech saints are likely Saint Ludmila and Saint Agnes, followed by Saint Wenceslas, Saint Jan of Nepomuk, and Saints Cyril and Methodius. Saint Jan Sarkander and Saint Zdislava were canonized on May 21, 1995, by Pope John Paul II in Olomouc.
Saint Zdislava of Lemberk was born around 1220 in Moravia, and her life was dedicated to helping those in need.
See more here.
Photo: Prague Spring Festival
For this week’s Sunday Music Show, we’re celebrating the pinnacle of the classical-music calendar in Czechia: the Prague Spring International Music Festival.
This year, the festival is marking its eightieth edition, which began on May 12th and runs until June 3rd.
See more here.
Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International
In this new episode of Czechast, host Vít Pohanka meets Jean Svoboda and her partner Richard in person for the first time. Jean, an Australian with Czech and Latvian roots, is back in Czechia to continue piecing together her family history. Richard, who had never been to Europe before their first trip, joins her again and shares what this journey has meant to him. Together, they reflect on identity, heritage, and the enduring pull of ancestral memory.
“It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
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Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Klára Stejskalová, Radio Prague International
With the success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, there has been a substantial increase in tourists visiting the Czech city of Kutná Hora, located just one hour outside of Prague by train. But which locations stand out? Members of our team visited the city to speak with tour guide Lara Emig about the uniquely well-rendered buildings featured in the hit game.
The first game centers around towns like Rataje, Sázava, Talmberk, and other areas nearby.
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Author: Jakub Ferenčík
The countries of the Nordic and Baltic regions – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden – hold their yearly joint National Days celebration together, and invited Ukraine to join them. Prague is the only place where this celebration has been arranged for many years. We fully agree with Ambassadors when they say that „our strength thrives not only in our economies and our alliances but above all in our values. Solidarity, justice, respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms form the foundation of our societies. It works both inwards and outwards.“ We all stand for Ukraine together as great allies and partners.
This time, the celebration took place at the beautiful Fanta Hall at Prague’s main train station. One of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in the capital.
The Honorable speaker was Mr. Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate.
Watch the video from the event with the speech of :
H.E. Ms. Gita KALMET, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia
H.E. Mr. Fredrik JÖRGENSEN, Ambassador Sweden
H.E. Mr. Soren KELSTRUP, Ambassador of Kingdom of Denmark
H.E. Mr. Pasi Olavi TUOMINEN, Ambassador of the Republic of Finland
Mr. Kristian OEDEGAARD, Chargé d´Affaires of the Kingdom of Norway
H.E. Mr. Rolandas KAČINSKAS, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania
H.E. Mr. Vilmars HENINŠ, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia
H.E. Mr. Audunn ATLASON, Ambassador of Iceland
H.E. Mr. Vasyl ZVARYCH, ambassador of Ukraine
And Mr. Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate
On the occasion of the 77th Anniversary of the Independence of the State of Israel and the 35th year of renewal of the diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and the State of Israel.
H.E. Ms. Anna AZARI, Ambassador of the State of Israel, hosted a reception at the beautiful garden of the Ambassador’s residence.
Mr. Tomáš Pojar – the Government National Security Adviser of the Czech Republic was the honored guest.
Watch the video with the speech of the Ambassador of the State of Israel, H.E. Ms. Anna Azari, and of Mr. Tomáš Pojar – the Government National Security Adviser of the Czech Republic.
Happy Independence Day, Israel
תחי מדינת ישראל
from left to right : Ms. Roni ABRAMSON PILTZ, Deputy Head of Mission; H.E. Ms. Anna AZARI, Ambassador; Colonel David ISRAELY, Defence Attaché; Ms. Iris Avital MALKA, Consular Affairs
On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Prague Castle, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary:
photo: Tomas Fongus
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
Among the many warm tributes to Jiří Bartoška, who passed away last week at 78, has been one published by Variety from journalist Steven Gaydos. The Czech actor took the reins at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 1994 and that was also the first edition for Gaydos, who subsequently watched Bartoška and his team turn a moribund event into the vibrant, internationally renowned celebration of cinema it is today.
You first attended the Karlovy Vary festival in 1994.
See more here.
Author: Ian Willoughby
Photo: Tomáš Vodňanský, Czech Radio
Czechia is mourning star of stage and screen Jiří Bartoška, who passed away on May 8th at 78 years of age. Among his many achievements, the charismatic actor is most fondly remembered for reinvigorating the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and ensuring its lasting success.
Born in 1947 in Děčín, at that time in north-west Czechoslovakia, Bartoška learned his craft at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, ČTK
The Prague Spring International Music Festival, one of the highlights of the Czech cultural calendar, kicked off its eightieth edition on May 12th. As per tradition, the opening concert was a performance of Bedřich Smetana’s My Country, played by the Czech Philharmonic, and with President Pavel in attendance. The programme of music runs until June 3rd. To understand the ideas and planning behind such a big event, Danny Bate spoke to its programme director, Josef Třeštík.
How would you describe the status of the Prague Spring International Music Festival?.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Ľubomír Smatana, Czech Radio
In a new episode, Czechast speaks to Jan Trčka, a Czech citizen who left his civilian life behind to fight in Ukraine. In a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Trčka explains his motivations, battlefield experiences, and the moral clarity that drives his commitment.
As Europe marks 80 years since the end of World War II, war is once again raging on the continent—this time in Ukraine.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz
The Foreign Ministry expects tens of thousands of voters abroad to participate in the autumn elections to the Chamber of Deputies. More than 600,000 Czechs are long-term residents abroad. For the first, time this year, they can vote by correspondence. In order to vote, Czechs from abroad must be registered on special electoral lists at embassies. They can do so now, no later than 40 calendar days before election day.
Czech President Petr Pavel announced that the elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Czech parliament, will be held on 2-3 October this year, the latest possible date.
See more here.
Illustrative photo: StockSnap, Pixabay, CC0 1.0 DEED
Brno scientists are developing a system for monitoring pilot fatigue or any kind of health problem. Based on a camera with artificial intelligence, the device monitors the pilot’s condition and, if necessary, responds with an alert or a more insistent wake-up call.
Long journeys –in the air and on the road-can get tedious and, after a few hours of monotonous activity, it is easy to nod off.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Klára Škodová, Czech Radio
Eurovision season is upon us, and Czechia is this year represented by Slovakia-born singer Adonxs (Adam Pavlovčin). Performing Kiss Kiss Goodbye, the singer will first appear before an international audience in the second semi-final on May 15th. But how will he do? Danny Bate spoke to journalist and Radio Wave broadcaster Miroslav Harant to discuss the Czech Eurovision entry.
Adonxs is a young musician originally from Myjava in Slovakia.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Patrik Uhlíř, ČTK
A team of Czech speleologists have successfully completed the longest possible cave traverse in the country—a route no one had managed until now. Over nearly two days, the trio navigated a challenging, seven-kilometre journey through the Amatérská caves system in the Moravian Karst.
It’s a feat Czech cavers have dreamt of since the 1980s.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Josef Vostárek, ČTK
A Museum of Survivors has opened near Brno, in the former factory of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during World War II. Its official opening, held on May 10th, was planned to coincide with the celebrations marking eighty years since the end of WWII.
While the celebrated 1993 film Schindler’s List is set primarily in Poland, Oskar Schindler was himself a native of Svitavy, the town in Moravia known as Zwittau in German.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Vít Šimánek, ČTK
The 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship is in full swing and, after a good start for the Czechs, hockey fans at home are glued to their sets hoping for another medal.
See more here.
Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International
Long before GPS apps were common and smartphones ubiquitous, Pavel Novák was printing maps and decoding clues with his wife and two young children on the streets of Brussels. It was 2008, and what started as a simple weekend activity soon evolved into something much bigger: a cross-continental pursuit of hidden treasures. As geocaching celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, Novák reflects on how the hobby shaped his family life, his travels, and even his reporting.
“It was during our stay in Brussels in 2008,” Pavel Novák explains: “My wife was there with our two children, and she was looking for something to do with them, to get them outside.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: APF Czech Radio
Music played a crucial role in boosting the morale of both troops and civilians during World War Two. Songs from both sides of the Atlantic got people on the dance floor and rallied spirits through many dark days and nights of the war. Here are some of the iconic hits that resounded at the time.
The song Škoda lásky from 1927 is probably one of the most famous Czech songs worldwide.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Karel Kestner, ČTK
On May 13th 1935, twins Karel and Jan Saudek were born in Prague. Their life story is like something out of a dramatic film – from their early childhood during the Nazi occupation to their unique artistic careers that made them legends of Czech comics and photography.
Kája Saudek was a pioneer of Czech comics, and his style is still unmistakable today.
See more here.
Author: Klára Stejskalová
Photo: Magdalena Kašubová, Radio Prague International
The geopark in Český ráj (Bohemian Paradise) is in danger of losing its UNESCO status. According to auditors, it cooperates with institutions that sell precious stones of unclear origin such as “blood minerals” mined under highly problematic conditions in Africa.
The geopark is taking the matter very seriously and has ended its cooperation with the Bohemian Paradise Museum in Turnov over the dispute.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Post Bellum
Felix Kafka was born in Prague almost exactly a century ago and escaped the Holocaust after being placed on one of the “kindertransports” to the UK organised by Nicholas Winton. He talked to Radio Prague International’s Alex Rosenzweig from his home in England, where he has lived since 1939.
Felix Kafka, thank you very much for being with us.
See more here.
Author: Alexis Rosenzweig
Photo: David Steiner, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
What do Czechs and Czech historians think about Czech treatment of the Jewish community in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and Czechoslovakia in the 20th century? Jakub Ferenčík spoke to historian Ivan Puš to understand the shifting narratives surrounding Jewish belonging in Czechoslovakia.
So first, let’s get into some background.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
According to a 2025 survey published by GLOBSEC, Czechia is one of the countries in central and eastern Europe where most people would defend their homeland in the event of a foreign attack. But why? I spoke with Director for Policy and Programming at GLOBSEC Dominika Hajdu to delve into this research and what it says about Czechs.
In Czechia, up to 81 percent of respondents said they would defend their country if it were attacked.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Archive of DPP
This year the Prague Transport Company is celebrating 150 years of public transport in the Czech capital. To mark the occasion, it has prepared a documentary series entitled “The secrets of the Prague tramlines”.
Most commuters on Prague trams these days are preoccupied with their mobile phones and few of them bother to look out of the tram windows at the changing scenery along the route.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International
Rohanský ostrov, or Rohan Island, is a place many Prague residents pass without a second thought. Once a true island in the Vltava River, it later became a forgotten industrial zone. Today, it’s undergoing a transformation into a modern, sustainable neighborhood—with green parks, housing, and public spaces. In this episode of Prague Off the Beaten Track, we take a closer look at its layered past and ambitious future.
If you’ve ever taken the metro to Karlín, or crossed Libeňský Bridge by tram, chances are you passed right by it—without even knowing it was there.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, welcomed His Majesty the King of the Belgians at Prague Castle on Monday, May 5, 2025.
President Pavel awarded the head of the Kingdom of Belgium a state decoration – the Order of the White Lion, 1st Class, with a chain of the order. He thus recognized the significant contribution to strengthening friendly relations between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Czech Republic, in particular by supporting and strengthening historical awareness of the common fight for freedom, symbolized by the participation of the Belgian 17th Rifle Battalion in the liberation of Pilsen and Western Bohemia in May 1945.
Watch the video from the reception at Prague Castle.
The Ambassador of Malaysia, H.E. Ms. SUZILAH BINTI MOHD SIDEK, hosted a farewell reception at her beautiful residence.
The honoured speakers were Senator Pavel Fischer, the chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security, and H.E. Most Reverend Jude Thaddeus OKOLO.
Here are selected sections of speeches of Senator Pavel Fischer, H.E. Most Reverend Jude Thaddeus OKOLO, and H.E. Ms. SUZILAH BINTI MOHD SIDEK at the reception.
The Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Fredrik JÖRGENSEN, and the “Team Sweden” hosted the opening of the exhibition “Swedish stones” by Ivana Machackova. At the beautiful Embassy garden.
Ivana Machackova is a Czech-Swedish artist living in Sweden. She is fond of monoliths and works with artistic design of outdoor spaces: parks, streets, squares, and neighborhoods in Sweden. Her inspiration comes from the Swedish nature.
Ivana Machackova has made sculptures especially for this unique exhibition in the garden of the Swedish Embassy in Prague.
The sculptures can be viewed by appointment May 7 – June 6, 2025.
It was a great evening with live music by Matěj M. Štrunc and Jan Bradáč
On May 5, 2025, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová held talks in Prague with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. They discussed the situation in Ukraine in the current global context. The Speaker emphasized that the recognition of the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of the Russian Federation is completely unacceptable. She also expressed gratitude for the commitment and dedication that Ukrainians consistently demonstrate, and which keeps dictator Putin away from our borders.
“The President appreciated the support that his country, which is being tested, receives from us. In fact, on the contrary, we should thank our Ukrainian allies every day. It is only thanks to their incredible commitment and dedication that they manage to keep the armed forces of the unscrupulous dictator Putin from advancing further west and thus further from the borders of our country,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.
The two representatives also spoke about the current situation and prospects of Ukraine in the current dynamically changing geopolitical context.
“We do not and will never consider the occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, to be part of the Russian Federation. Only Ukrainians have the right to decide on their future and geopolitical direction. Russia must not be rewarded for its unprovoked aggression with Ukrainian territorial concessions – such a move would mean the end of the international order as we know it. Our essential interest and long-term goal, therefore remains the achievement of a just and lasting peace,” added the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, after the meeting.
The Chamber of Deputies delegation also included all the deputy chairmen of the lower parliamentary chamber and the Chairman of the Security Committee, Pavel Žáček.
The Chamber of Deputies has already adopted several resolutions in support of Ukraine (including on the first day of the war, designating the Ukrainian famine as genocide, and designating the Russian regime as a terrorist). Czech-Ukrainian interparliamentary cooperation also takes place within the framework of the Crimean Platform, whose second parliamentary summit took place in Prague the year before last in the autumn at the initiative of the Speaker.
Strong jaws equipped with short, tile-like “stools” serve the dracaena as a nutcracker. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Half aquatic, half arboreal, partly green, but also orange; but above all, uniquely snail-eating. Such are the crocodile-eating dracaenas, whose breeding at Prague Zoo has gained new blood. Five almost one-year-old lizards arrived in Prague from Basel with the aim of continuing the local successful tradition. In 1998, Prague Zoo was the first in the world to breed these sturdy reptiles. Visitors can see them in the Terrarium pavilion.
“I would compare it to polishing the family silver,” says reptile curator Petr Velenský. “In August, it will be exactly thirty years since we started breeding dracaenas. At that time, it was a creature known more from textbooks and museums, and there was little information about its life or even photographs. When we managed to breed it in 1998 and published the breeding methodology in the professional journal Zoo Prague Gazella, it was the first documented breeding of this species in human care and a real sensation. Our young went to India, for example, as part of an exchange for gharials.”
With their tongue, the dracaena skillfully turns its slippery bite several times and separates the sharp fragments of crushed shell, which they spit out. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
However, until recently, there was only one old female left at Zoo Prague, which the breeders had to peel from the snail shell and feed directly into its mouth. In order not to interrupt the important continuity of breeding, it was necessary to obtain young, unrelated individuals.
Five young dracaenas – three males and two females hatched last July – were acquired by Zoo Prague from colleagues from the Swiss Basel Zoo. The remaining female, who is now enjoying a peaceful old age in the garden’s backyard, has been replaced by this group of vital youngsters in a massive exhibit in the Terrarium pavilion. There, people can see their bizarre diet with their own eyes.
The massive orange head and large black eyes give the crocodile-like dracaenas an attractive appearance. The wide, dark tongue is also striking. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
“Dracaena crocodilia almost without exception seek out snails with shells. We usually feed them every other day with spotted snails, which are commonly bred on farms in our country for human consumption. They can eat up to five snails per sitting, which we provide thawed and warmed, whole, of course. The dracaenas then crack open the shells accompanied by loud cracking and slapping as they turn the morsel in their mouths, remove shell fragments with their tongues, and prepare the slippery body for swallowing,” says Velenský.
Dracaena crocodilia belongs to the family of lizards and, despite their Czech species name, they have very little in common with crocodiles, perhaps with the exception of a series of scales with low bumps and a fondness for water. They seek shelter from predators and food in the water. This species is found in the Amazon forests of South America. Due to their secretive lifestyle, relatively little is still known about them, and therefore the extent and status of the wild population cannot be well estimated.
A group of one-year-old lizards in the Terrarium pavilion in the lower part of Prague Zoo are now about 60 cm long, but as adults they can grow to twice that length and weigh around four kilograms. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Photo: VHÚ
May 5th marks eighty years since the Prague Uprising, the daring efforts of the Czech Resistance to throw off Nazi rule. Having played a pivotal part in the uprising, Czech Radio holds annual acts of commemoration.
“Je sechs hodin”.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Terezín Memorial
On May 8th millions of people around Czechia rejoiced in the news that Germany had finally surrendered and the war was over. But for many inmates of the Terezín ghetto, the suffering was far from over. Many had nowhere to go and another 1,500 inmates succumbed to the typhus epidemic that spread through the camp.
Terezín was a military fortress that never served its original purpose.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Barbora Němcová, Radio Prague International
Politicians, veterans, and members of the public gathered outside Czech Radio’s Prague headquarters on Monday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Prague Uprising against Nazi rule. The uprising began on 5 May 1945, near the end of the Second World War, and the ceremony honoured those who fought and died in the final days of the occupation.
The Czech Radio building, a symbol of national resistance, was the epicentre of the uprising and the site of one of the fiercest battles against Nazi forces.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Czech Television
For the first time in years, American veterans are once again taking part in commemorative events marking the end of World War II. What are the stories of the last surviving liberators of the Plzeň region and southwest Bohemia?
They’re eager to make the journey – for many, it will be their first time back in Europe since 1945.
See more here.
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
The plan to build two new nuclear units at the Dukovany power plant in the Vysočina Region has now been stalled, as the Regional Court in Brno on Tuesday blocked the signing of the final contract with a preliminary injunction. This was done in response to a lawsuit by the French energy company EDF, who unsuccessfully bid for the tender.
The construction of two new nuclear units for the Dukovany power plant is a major project of the Czech state.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
The company Elektrárna Dukovany II (EDU II), which oversees the nuclear tender for the Dukovany project, will file a cassation complaint with the Supreme Administrative Court in response to a preliminary injunction issued by the Brno Regional Court.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
The sale of fireworks in markets and stalls will likely be banned.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Pavel Novák, Czech Radio
Czech tramping, a unique cultural tradition born over a century ago, is still going strong—even across the Atlantic. Recently, Czech expatriates gathered at the Czech Embassy in Ottawa to sing their favourite tramping songs, including the legendary Rosa na kolejích—Dew on the Tracks—by Wabi Daněk.
The Czech Embassy regularly hosts events showcasing Czech culture, literature, and classical music.
See more here.
Author: Pavel Novák, Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Anifilm 2025
The annual Anifilm Festival of animated films kicks off this Tuesday in the northern Bohemian town of Liberec. Over the course of six days, audiences can look forward to dozens of screenings, but also exhibitions, concerts and workshops, across various venues throughout the town. I spoke with programme coordinator Radek Hosenseidl to find out more:
This year’s main theme is science fiction in animation.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Raised on science, trained in biology, and now a project coordinator in Austria—Hana Huszár combines expertise and empathy to shape the future of research. As part of the Czexpats in Science network, she also supports Czech scientists abroad who dream of returning home.Find out how she’s turning experience into impact in the latest Science Without Borders interview.
Watch the new series, Science Without Borders, from Radio Prague International and the Czech Centre Vienna in collaboration with Czexpats in Science and Tschechisches Zentrum Wien.
See more here.
Author: Barbora Navrátilová, Vít Pohanka
Illustrative photo: Petr Kološ, Czech Radio
141% more new electric passenger cars were registered in Czechia in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period last year, according to statistics from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. This put the country in first place across the European Union. To understand this recent uptake, Danny Bate spoke to demographer, researcher and electric-car owner Tomáš Sobotka.
You are in the minority in Czechia in having an electric car.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Agáta Nezbedová, Czech Radio
Writer and artist Martina Skála grew up in Prague’s picturesque Malá Strana district before leaving for France in the mid-1980s and eventually settling in California. Skála, who studied history and set design, has also had an unusually broad range of jobs, from acting as an advisor to the female leads on The Unbearable Lightness of Being to literally dancing with horses.
You grew up in Malá Strana in Prague.
See more here.
Author: Ian Willoughby
Photo: Martina Schneibergová, Radio Prague International
In May 1945, World War II came to an end in Czechoslovakia with scenes of liberation and chaos. While most of western Bohemia was freed by the American army under General George S. Patton, Soviet forces took control of Prague and much of the rest of the country.
The days leading up to the German surrender were marked by the Prague Uprising and violent retribution against German soldiers and civilians.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, ČTK
For the first time in thirty years, the same runner won the Prague Marathon as in the previous year. Lemi Berhanu Hayle from Ethiopia crossed the finish line in 2:05:14. The race, in which more than 10,000 runners took part, also produced a new national champion. Yann Havlena earned the title even at the cost of total exhaustion as he crossed the finish line.
See more here.
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
Experts have argued over the exact origins of Czech’s distinctive word for ‘elephant’. It shares this word with other Slavic languages (for example, Polish słoń, Russian слон), but where Slavic as a whole got it from is a linguistic puzzle.
The prevailing theory seems to be that Slavic adopted it from one of a group of languages known as the Turkic family.
See more here.
Photo: Tomáš Vodňanský, Czech Radio
The renowned Czech opera singer Adam Plachetka celebrates his 40th birthday this weekend. The popular bass-baritone is the only Czech artist to have performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York before the age of 30. He has been a member of the Vienna State Opera for nearly 15 years and has appeared on leading opera stages in New York, Vienna, London, Milan, and beyond. To mark the occasion, we’ll be listening to a selection from his 2015 album Arias, recorded with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.
See more here.
Photo: Český rozhlas Plzeň
Eighty years ago, on May 5, 1945, the first words of freedom rang out over the airwaves in Plzeň. Resistance fighters captured a German transmitter and launched a revolutionary broadcast, laying the foundation for what would become local radio.
No Czechoslovak radio station began broadcasting at the end of World War II as dramatically as Plzeň did.
See more here.
Photo: Barbora Hakenová, Radio Prague International
Freedom Celebrations kick off in the West Bohemian city of Plzeň on Friday, marking 80 years since its liberation by US troops. This year the city has planned the biggest celebration in decades – with the traditional Convoy of Liberty, a period war camp, a flyby of historical planes and meetings with the families of the veterans who liberated parts of western and southern Bohemia.
The West Bohemian city of Plzeň has pulled out all the stops for the 2025 Freedom Celebrations marking 80 years since its liberation by General Patton’s troops.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Adam Trachtman, archive of Maya Kvetny
Maya Kvetny is a successful casting director based in Prague and the founder of the agency Myrnyx Tyrnyx. She has become a key figure in international productions filmed in the Czech Republic, with credits including Jojo Rabbit, Spiderman: Far From Home, Nosferatu and Blade Runner 2099. I caught up with her in her studio to talk about her career and the craft of casting.
Could you talk to us about how you got started in the film industry?.
See more here.
In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Gansukh Khashkhan DAMDIN, Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic, and Mrs. Enkhtuvshin Molom hosted a reception at the Congress Hall, Grand Hotel International Prague.
The honoree speaker was Mr. Jan Lipavsky, the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic.
Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Mr. Gansukh Khashkhan DAMDIN, Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic, and of Mr. Jan Lipavsky, the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic. And part of the culture program.
A half century has passed since the end of the American War in Vietnam. The sense of national pride as well as the values of benevolence, peace, and reconciliation remain intact when the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of 30 April, officially known as
The Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day.
The burning desire for peace, national independence, and reconciliation of the Vietnamese people is well reflected in Ho Chi Minh’s immortal sayings: “We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, than live as slaves. Dear fellow countrymen! We must rise up!” and “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth will never change.”
To have a better understanding of the indomitable will of the Vietnamese people and of how far Vietnam has moved beyond war consequences and adversities to become a middle-income country today, the Embassy of the S.R. of Vietnam in Czechia has a pleasure to introduce to readers of the Czech & Slovak Leaders magazine an artilce written by H.E. Mr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, namely “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one” and his remarks at the national celebration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.
An article written by H.E. Mr. Hoai Nam DUONG – Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Czech Republic, about this historic event, will be published in our upcoming Summer Magazine ( June 2025)
The name for the first-born offspring of the female Diri was chosen by the breeders last year from almost two thousand suggestions from the public. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Every day, he becomes bolder and more active – that is the one-year-old Sumatran orangutan Harapan, the youngest ape at Prague Zoo. Thanks to his ancestors from the wild, he is a great genetic asset for the preservation of his critically endangered species. On Friday, May 2, “Hari” will be exactly one year old. The Prague Zoo will celebrate its first birthday a day later, on Saturday, May 3, in the Indonesian Jungle Pavilion.
Little Harapan still spends most of his time near his mother Diri, who takes exemplary care of her firstborn cub, and visitors are thus witnesses of her tender care every day. “Diri had already gained experience earlier when she helped her mother Mawar with raising her now four-year-old brother Kawi, whom she liked to carry in her arms,” explains chief primate keeper Martin Vojáček. But he is also interested in his father. “We are happy that Pagy is showing himself as a calm male and letting the cub actively explore him. Male orangutans do not normally get involved in their upbringing,” adds Vojáček.
Harapan means “hope” in Indonesian. He is the grandson of the famous Kama, whose parents came directly from the Sumatran forests, which are disappearing at a dizzying rate today. Photo Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo
Although the one-year-old “Hari” practices his climbing skills every day, he will have to wait some time for bigger acrobatic feats. “Mother Diri is still watching him closely, and when her cub embarks on a too-risky adventure, she does not hesitate to intervene. She offers him a helping hand or pulls him into her arms,” describes Vojáček.
Harapan will be breastfed by his mother until he is approximately four years old, but he already has developed baby teeth and is eager to try fruits, vegetables, and even granules for leaf-eating primates.
Prague Zoo will celebrate Harapan’s birthday all day on Saturday in the Indonesian Jungle pavilion. At 3:00 p.m., the one-year-old orangutan will receive special enrichment – mixed fruit in a termite mound. Every full hour from 10:00 to 16:00, visitors can look forward to commented meetings at the orangutan islands. Young visitors can learn more about these largest tree mammals at the game station Into the Jungle for Orangutans.
Little Harapan is one of the most popular residents of Prague Zoo and is also one of the most important cubs in terms of breeding. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Orangutans can be seen every day not only on the upper floor of the Indonesian Jungle pavilion, but also in the adjacent outdoor enclosure in good weather. They are active throughout the entire opening hours, which will be extended by an hour from May 1st – the gates of the Prague Zoo will now close at 19:00.
Przewalski’s horse mare Gruhne and her two-day-old foal at Prague’s Maiden’s Castles. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
The breeding of Převalsky horses at Prague Zoo is experiencing an unprecedented baby boom. Today, the third April foal was born at Prague’s Dívčé hrady. Another foal was also born today at the Převalsky horse breeding and acclimatization station in Dolní Dobřejov. In addition, people can see the foal directly on the Prague Zoo grounds. The two-month-old mare Dagina, named by the Mongolian president in March, can be found by visitors in the Gobi exhibit near the upper cable car station. This year, the Prague Zoo has added a total of five young of these last wild horses on the planet.
“The baby boom of foals has its reason, of course, and that is our planned project to reintroduce Przewalski’s horses to eastern Mongolia, to the Valley of the Monasteries. We will start transporting the foals there as soon as there are enough of them in the Golden Steppe in central Kazakhstan,” says Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek.
In the huge enclosure at Dívčí hrady above Prague’s Smíchov, a total of eight horses can now be seen: a stallion, four mares and three foals of unknown sex. One foal was born to the mare Vereda last Saturday, April 26, another followed on Monday, April 28, with the mother being the mare Gruhne. The third foal gave birth today to a mare named Khamina. People can see them, for example, from the lookouts there.
Prague’s Maiden’s Castles now offer unique views of wild Przewalski’s horses with their foals and the city skyline. On the left is the mare Vereda with her foal, on the right is the mare Gruhne with hers. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
The foal was also born at the Prague Zoo’s breeding and acclimatization station in Dolní Dobřejov. In the area of the so-called The largest breeding herd of the Prague Zoo lives in the Bohemian Siberia in the south of Bohemia, which currently numbers three dozen horses. The horses are also being prepared there for demanding transports to the wilds of Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Coincidentally, the mare Yara gave birth to today’s offspring on her tenth birthday.
The oldest of this year’s foals was born directly in the Troja area of the Prague Zoo. On February 27, the mare Victoria II gave birth to a female named Dagina in the Gobi exhibition, which opened last year. She was personally baptized in March by the Mongolian President Uchnágín Chürelsüch. The name Dagina means “Heavenly Fairy” in Mongolian. The president said at the time that if Dagina were to be transported to the Valley of the Monasteries, she could be renamed “Eastern Fairy”.
Prague Zoo plays a crucial role in the story of the last wild horse. It manages its International Stud Book and the European Breeding Program and is actively returning Przewalski’s horses to the wild. Between 2011 and 2019, it carried out a total of nine transports to western Mongolia together with the Czech Army. While it is preparing a project to return them to the east of the country, last year it launched a reintroduction project in central Kazakhstan, where Przewalski’s horses became extinct hundreds of years ago. It transported the first seven horses there last year at the beginning of June.
People will see the mare Dagina in the Mongolian Gobi exhibit at Prague Zoo. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
The next transport to Kazakhstan is also planned for the first week of June this year. Eight horses – two stallions and six mares – should head to the Altyn Dala area, i.e. the “Golden Steppe”, this year by CASA military aircraft. One will fly from Prague with horses from Dolní Dobřejov and the other from Debrecen in Hungary with horses from the Hortobágy National Park, which is a partner of Prague Zoo for this project.
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