AuthorMartin Hladík

18,000 seventeen-year-old drivers now on Czechia’s roads, but only eight accidents recorded so far

Photo illustrative: Luboš Popovič, Radio Prague International

According to the Association of Driving Schools, almost 18,000 young drivers are already driving on Czech roads under the supervision of mentors. Despite the high number, according to police statistics, fears that they would increase the accident rate have not been confirmed.

At the beginning of 2024, the Czech Ministry of Transport gave the green light to seventeen-year-old drivers.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate, Luděk Hubáček

First ski resorts open in Czechia, with high hopes for a good season

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

The ski season in Czechia officially kicked off this past weekend, with a number of winter resorts welcoming their first visitors. After last year’s disappointing season and the ongoing challenges of climate change, how are Czech ski resorts faring? And is skiing in Czechia sustainable in the long run?

The transition from November to December traditionally marks the start of the ski season in Czechia, and this year is no exception.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Start of Advent illuminates Czech town squares with trees, markets and angelic singing

Photo: Luboš Pavlíček, ČTK

Town squares all over Czechia have officially opened their festive markets with a rich cultural programme, which in many places will last until 2025. Thousands of people have been to watch the traditional lighting up of Christmas trees. On Prague’s Old Town Square, the occasion was complemented by a two-minute animation set to Vltava by Bedřich Smetana.

See more here.

Pavel Klusák on Suchý, Šlitr and the explosion that was Semafor

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague Int.

Prague’s Semafor theatre was the most significant arts institution in 1960s Czechoslovakia, ushering in a new era against the backdrop of a slow political thaw in the communist country. Semafor was centred on the song-writing duo of Jiří Suchý and Jiří Šlitr and gave starts to a whole generation of enormous and enduring pop stars. Top Czech music writer Pavel Klusák explores the theatre’s great decade in his brand new book Suchý and Šlitr: Semafor 1959–1969 – and shared his insights at our studios in Vinohrady.

You’ve written this wonderful new book about Jiří Suchý and Jiří Šlitr.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Beata Hlavenková: the successful musician with a big wish

Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

“I really enjoy everything I do, but agents sometimes find it difficult to sell my work” says pianist, singer and songwriter Beata Hlavenková. What is her big professional wish? And why she does not enjoy songs around the campfire so much? Listen to the latest episode of Faces of Czech Music.

See more here.

Author: Petr Dudek

Czechia and the euro: a never-ending debate

Illustrative photo: Pixabay, Pixabay License

Czechs are wary of the euro. Despite the fact that Czechia has been a European Union member country for more than two decades, the common European currency is viewed with suspicion by the majority of the population.

The Czech cabinet this week discussed a report by NERV—the National Economic Government Council—about the possible adoption of the euro.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

“Like pulling on threads”: composer Simon Goff on his life, his music and creating the soundtrack for Vlny

Photo: Tobias Humble, archive of Simon Goff

Simon Goff, a British musician and composer, is the visionary behind the soundtrack of this year’s celebrated Czech film Vlny (Waves). He spoke to Danny Bate about his British background, his move to Berlin, his process of making music, and his career path into composing film soundtracks.

I’d like to start with your early years, and especially the role of music when you were a child.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate

Czechia’s Participation at EXPO 2025 – Osaka – Japan

Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, will take place from 13.4.2025 to 13.10.2025.

Ondřej Soška – Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025, organized a press conference in Letenskt Zamecek to update how the construction of the Czech National Pavilion is progressing, present the concept of the visitor journey for the Czech National Pavilion, announce the results of the public tender for the restaurant operator, and introduce the restaurant concept, and reveal the final details of the Czech Pavilion.

The press conference had three panels:

  • H.E Mr. Kansuke Nagaoka – Japanese Ambassador to the Czech Republic
  • Ondřej Soška – Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025
  • Jan Herget – Cordinator
  • Rony Presl – Autor concept

 

 

  • Ondřej Soška – Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025
  • Tomáš Reger – culinary curator
  • Petr Brož – Managing Director of GASTRO INVEST INTERNACIONAL
  • Zdenek Kovar – Spoke person Pilsner Urquell

 

 

 

And a presentation of the ROBOT Expedition – a unique ride of Czech vintage cars from Prague to Osaka for EXPO 2025, which will be loosely based on the Sakura Expedition from 1970.

  • Ondřej Soška – Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025
  • Josef Zajíček, Head of Expedition ROBOT Prague-Osaka EXPO 2025
  • Zdeněk Thoma, Czech photographer, publicist, traveler, and participant of the Sakura Expedition 1970 at the Osaka EXPO
  • Alois Krejci and Alois Krejci ml.

All the event was professionally moderated by Jana Kohoutova – Communication Manager of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.

We are looking forward to the Grand opening.

The Fassati Art Festival – 2024

The Fassati Art Festival is an art project full of unusual experiences encompassing music, fine arts, architecture, design, epicurean delicacies, emotions, and interpersonal harmony.

The main idea of ​​the festival was prepared by the beautiful soprano Markéta Fassati, who guarantees the festival’s uniqueness.

The 2024 concert took place at the historic beautiful church of St. James the Greater (also the Elder) and the Minorite monastery in Prague Old Town. It was founded by Václav I in 1232, apparently in connection with the establishment of the Old Town of Prague.

This year, the soprano Marketa Fassati was accompanied by a great band: Radim Linhart – pianist and composer, Ivan Koreny –  and guitarist and Michal Zpevak – multi-instrumentalist.

Watch the video with moments from this great concert that us a great joy.

You can find more details about the Fassati Art Festival: https://www.fassatiartfestival.com/

Public Discussion on the Anniversary of the Fall of the Iron Curtain at AAU

On November 26, Anglo-American University (AAU) hosted a lively and insightful public debate marking the anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain. Organized in partnership with the Strategeo Institute, the event brought together a diverse group of speakers and attendees to reflect on this pivotal moment in history and what it means for today’s world.

The evening tackled big questions:

  • What sparked the wave of democratic movements that brought the Iron Curtain down?
  • How did the Cold War end so quickly and mostly peacefully?
  • What role did dissidents play, and how much influence did global powers have?
  • Were predictions about the “end of history” in the 1990s way off the mark?
  • And, most importantly, what challenges do we face today in a world with rising authoritarianism and slowing economies?

The Panels

Panel 1: Politics, Geopolitics, and History

The first panel, moderated by Veselin Vačkov from the Strategeo Institute, focused on the historical and political side of things. Panelists included:

  • Prof. Milada Polišenská, Historian and International Relations Professor at AAU
  • Izabela Babinska, AAU Student
  • Jan Macháček, President of the Strategeo Institute
  • Michael Žantovský, Diplomat, Author, and Former Czech Ambassador

The conversation covered the courage of dissidents, the influence of geopolitics, and the unexpected speed of the Cold War’s end. Speakers also connected these historical lessons to today’s political turbulence and growing divisions.

Panel 2: Economics and the Future

The second panel, led by Jan Macháček, took a closer look at the economic shifts after the Cold War and the challenges we’re facing now. Speakers included:

  • Milena Jabůrková, Vice President of the Confederation of Industry and Transport
  • Jan Mládek, Economist and Former Industry Minister
  • Miroslav Singer, Former Governor of the Czech National Bank
  • Josef Kotrba, Consultant and CEO of the Czech Gas Association

This panel sparked a lot of conversation about global trade, the EU’s struggles to stay competitive, and how Europe can bounce back from economic slowdowns.

The event attracted a great mix. Ambassadors: H.E. Mr. Pasi Olavi TUOMINEN – Ambassador of Republic of Finland, H.E. Mr. Bakyt DYUSSENBAYEV – Ambassador of Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Ms. Ayesha ALI – Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Ms. Albesjana IBERHYSAJ-KAPITAJ – Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. HTUANN NAUNG – Charge d‘Affaires of the Union of Myanmar, students, professionals, and academics who weren’t afraid to ask tough questions and share their thoughts. Both panels sparked energetic discussions, and the audience’s enthusiasm made it clear that these topics still hit home for many people.

 

Photos: Kyle Herda, AAU

The award for climate change communication for 2024 was won by journalist Jan Kaliba

The prize for climate change communication, which is awarded annually by the UN Information Center in Prague and the Learned Society of the Czech Republic, was won this year by Czech Radio climate reporter  Jan Kaliba. He started his journalism career as a sports reporter, worked as a correspondent for public radio in the United States from 2017-2023, and now focuses mainly on events related to climate change. This year, the organizers also awarded the “Inspiration from Abroad” award for the first time, the laureate of which was  Anna Holligan, the BBC correspondent in the Netherlands.

The award ceremony in the Václav Havel Library in Prague was honored by the attending of H.E. Mr. Stéphane CROUZAT – Ambassador of the Republic of France, and H.E. Mr. Daan Feddo HUISINGA – Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Grand prize

“The Climate Change Communication Award 2024 is awarded to Jan Kalib for the high level of climate reporting from home and around the world, which is accessible to a wide range of listeners and at the same time does not lack depth and contextuality; and for establishing climate change as a cross-cutting topic that is gradually becoming part of the education of media workers,” reads the nomination committee’s rationale.

At the presentation ceremony in the Václav Havel Library in Prague, the Learned Society awarded the prize winner with a monetary donation of 30,000 CZK. The UN Office in the Czech Republic symbolically handed over a tree seedling. This is a continuation of the tradition from previous years when the following were awarded: climatologist Radim Tolasz (2019), Ondráš Přibyla and the Fakta o klima team (2020), climatologist Miroslav Trnka (2021), polar ecologist Marie Šabacká (2022) and the Climate Association for International Issues (AMO) (2023).

Honorable mention

This year, for the first time, the organizers awarded the honorary award “Inspiration from Abroad”. It was awarded to Anna Holligan, British journalist and broadcaster for the BBC in the Netherlands, author of the News from the Cycle Path project and co-founder of The Bike Bureau, for “extraordinary efforts to communicate authentically and promote innovative and sustainable solutions in news production, while maintaining the highest standards of journalism.”

In previous years, the organizers awarded an honorary award for lifetime contribution to the ecologist, university teacher, and former Minister of the Environment Bedřich Moldan (2021) and geneticist and molecular epidemiologist Radi Šrám (in memoriam 2022); for an extraordinary achievement to the head of the TEREZA educational center Petar Daniš for the book “Climate is an opportunity” and sociologist Vojtěch Peck for the book “Factory of lies: production of climate disinformation” (both in 2023).

Czech Radio Plus editor Daniela Vrbová accompanied the program in the Václav Havel Library. The recording of the ceremony, including the awardees’ lectures and their discussion with the 2021 laureate Ondráš Přibyla, founder and director of the Climate Facts organization, is available on YouTube: https://bit.ly/cenaklima24 

The award for climate change communication is intended for scientists and experts who work in the Czech public space.  This is not a journalistic award; it is just a coincidence that both of this year’s laureates work in the media. In the communication of this topic, they fulfill high professional criteria of understanding complex issues and working with data.

The project is jointly organized and covered by the UN Information Center in Prague and the Learned Society of the Czech Republic. The winner of the main prize is decided by a nomination committee made up of representatives of important Czech institutions dealing with climate change. Committee membership is honorary and personal. The aim of the award is to contribute to the enlightenment and cultivation of a reliable, factual and current knowledge-based discussion about one of the world’s most serious threats. The award is also intended to contribute to bridging differences of opinion and to foster a culture of critical discussion between different disciplines.

Background

“Human-induced climate change is leading to large-scale and rapid changes in the atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere, and biosphere, and is causing a large number of extreme weather events. Global greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.2% in 2021-2022 to reach 57.4 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. 2023 was by far the hottest year on record. The volume of heat in the oceans reached record values, while the Arctic and Antarctic glaciation was at an all-time low. Temperatures in the first half of 2024 were also record high.

People on every continent have experienced extreme weather events, from searing heat across much of Asia and drought in southern Africa to record flooding in southern Brazil and unprecedented Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. The increasingly frequent occurrence of dangerous weather extremes and their devastating impacts on the population highlights the need for urgent and ambitious climate action,” states the latest  United in Science summary report 1.

###

Jan Kaliba, ČRo reporter : “Climate change has thousands of forms and offers thousands of stories, it speaks to us through floods, frozen apple harvests, canceled Jizerská fifty or people’s efforts to warm their homes. Every journalist is therefore a bit of a climate journalist these days. But it’s not easy to admit it, it’s not easy to find your way around it, it’s not easy to deal with the complexity of this topic and the climate myths and misinformation that abound in the public space. It is not easy to wrap climate change into understandable and digestible stories. Therefore, I accept the award with great respect for all my journalist colleagues who have been working on the topic of climate change in the Czech Republic for a long time, and with thanks to Czech Radio for deciding to establish the position of climate reporter and to help this urgent topic become more familiar in the Czech public debate and to reporting on it has become mainstream.”

Anna Holligan, BBC correspondent in the Netherlands:  “Telling authentic stories has a transformative effect on climate communication. By sharing experiences from my personal journey, I aim to shift the narrative of despair to hope and open the way to a more sustainable future. Let’s inspire each other to take meaningful action for our planet!”

Jan Dusík, Deputy Director General for Climate at the European Commission and member of the nomination committee for the award:  “Today it is increasingly difficult to navigate which information is true and substantiated, and which is purposefully colored. Whether for reasons of economic or political benefit, or simply as targeted disinformation. The topic of climate change, which is generally perceived as the most fundamental civilizational challenge, is fertile ground – and especially in the Czech Republic – for purposeful dissemination or editing of information. It’s good that the winner of the Climate Change Communication Award has been announced for the sixth time, and the even better news is that it held its own against strong competition from others. It gives me hope that the attitude of Czechs and Czechs to this fundamental challenge can be based on quality and understandable sources!”

Radim Tolasz, climatologist of the ČHMÚ, Czech representative in the IPCC, first laureate of the award (2019):  “In recent years, it has been increasingly confirmed that deficiencies in communication reduce the importance and acceptance of scientific results in the public. Not only in climatology, it has general validity. That is why I consider the climate change communication award a remarkable and important undertaking. Above all, I wish the awardee an understanding audience.”

Pavel Jungwirth, Learned Society of the Czech Republic : “Science provides a clear and increasingly accurate picture of climate change and the human contribution to it. However, if these findings are not clearly and convincingly communicated to the general public, who can then also influence political decision-making, we will remain half way. That’s why the Climate Communication Prize is here as an encouragement to take further steps in the right direction.”

More details you can find at: https://osn.cz/

 

Photo : UNIC Prague

PRAGUE ZOO CEREMONIALLY LIGHTS THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND PRESENTS THIS YEAR’S ORPHANS

Visitors can find a Caucasian Christmas tree near the silver gibbon exhibit. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

On Sunday, December 1, the Prague Zoo will light up the Christmas tree in the Veselovského meadow. Visitors can look forward to the traditional procession to the tree, the nativity scene, and the presentation of the new adoption campaign. The Christmas atmosphere will also be created by carols performed by a children’s choir.

From 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., entry for all visitors will be a symbolic 50 CZK.

Prague Zoo will welcome visitors at 4:15 p.m. at the Education Center near the main entrance. Subsequently, the procession will go towards the lower part of the Prague Zoo grounds to the Veselovského meadow. Even before the Christmas tree is lit, the Prague Zoo will present this year’s campaign Adopt me!

Thanks to the adoption campaign, the so-called animal orphans, i.e. animals without an adoptive parent, find their patrons. It is not only about gaining new supporters, but also about introducing the public to species that, despite their uniqueness, are often overlooked. An adoption certificate can thus be a meaningful and original Christmas gift.

The arrival of Advent will be accompanied by the carols of the Osmikvítek children’s choir.

Main program:

16.15 Meeting of visitors at the Education Center and procession to the tree on Veselovského louka

16.30 Christmas carols performed by the Osmikvítek children’s choir

16.40 Welcome and Christmas greetings from the director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek

16.50 Presentation of the adoption campaign

17.00 Lighting of the Christmas tree

17.10 Christmas carols performed by the Osmikvítek children’s choir

Markéta Pekarová Adamová, discussed economic opportunities and security cooperation in Albania

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, together with the Chairman of the Parliamentary Subcommittee for European Funds and Cross-Border Cooperation, Vladimír Zlínský, paid a two-day visit to Albania. In Tirana, they discussed closer Czech-Albanian inter-parliamentary cooperation and economic opportunities for Czech entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans with the Speaker of the Parliament, Elisa Spiropali.

In Tirana, she discussed Czech-Albanian inter-parliamentary and economic cooperation with the speaker of the parliament, Elisa Spiropali. She then discussed the security situation in the region with Albanian President Bajram Begaj. She also met with representatives of local civil society.

“Relations between our countries are very strong, especially in the field of economic cooperation. Our mutual trade balance is comparable to – and in many sectors even exceeds – the volume of exchange with many of our more economically robust partners in Europe. However, there is still great potential for further Czech investments in the Albanian market. In addition, a more intensive trade exchange goes hand in hand with the long-term goal of Albania’s integration into the European Union. The stable political and business environment here is a key prerequisite both for the development of trade and the growth of foreign investments, as well as for the smooth entry of the country into the family of EU member states,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová then addressed the Albanian legislators at an extraordinary session of the Parliament.

“Albania plays a vital role in the fight against Russian influence, in which it has our full support. In this context, it is particularly important that both the Czech Republic and Albania are members of the North Atlantic Alliance and cooperate not only as strategic allies but also as close friends sharing democratic values. I am convinced that our joint efforts will further contribute to the security and prosperity of the entire Western Balkans,” said Speaker of the House Markéta Pekarová Adamová, among other things, in her speech in the Albanian Parliament. She also discussed current security issues with Albanian President Bajram Begaj.

Before leaving for Sarajevo, the parliamentary delegation also met with representatives of Albanian civil society, who focus on challenges in the field of women’s rights and media objectivity.

Brno voted European Capital of Christmas 2024

Photo: Petr Švancara, ČTK

The city of Brno has won the title of European Capital of Christmas in the category of cities with over 100,000 inhabitants. The European Capital of Christmas and European City of Christmas awards have been given out since 2017 under the auspices of the European Parliament.

An international jury praised the city’s modern Advent markets and their connection to traditional European values.

See more here.

The importance of investing in childhood: experts meet to discuss a path forward in Czechia

Photo: Platforma pro včasnou péči

On Monday, the organization Platforma pro včasnou péči (“Early Care Platform”) hosted a roundtable discussion in the Chamber of Deputies to explore the importance of early childhood development and ways to make the Czech Republic a more family-friendly place. I went there to hear from a number of researchers and decision makers on what Czechs can do to help protect their children and set them up better for life.

The event brought together a number of speakers from across Czechia, including Tomáš Hradil, the Mayor of Krnov, as well as Petra Večerková, the director of Eurotopia and the current Deputy Mayor, and Czech linguist and politician Olga Richterová, among others.

See more here.

Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Seven Czech experts among the top 1% of the world’s most cited researchers

Photo: Tomáš Belloň, Ústav organické chemie a biochemie Akademie věd ČR

Seven experts from Czechia have been ranked among the top one percent of the world’s most cited scientists, according to the Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list by Clarivate. The list includes ecologist and botanist Petr Pyšek and physicist Tomáš Jungwirth, who was recently honoured with Czechia’s most prestigious scientific award, Czech Head.

This year’s list of the world’s most cited scientists, compiled by the British-American analytics company Clarivate, features 6,636 researchers from over 1,200 institutions in 59 countries and regions.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Kbely military air base to display Russian aircraft? Some soldiers opposed

Photo: Jan Kouba, Czech Ministry of Defense

The military air base in Prague-Kbely is planning to establish a new memorial featuring a Russian/Soviet Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft. A petition opposing the idea has been initiated by soldiers, who advocate for showcasing a Czech aircraft instead.

The Czech army flew with the Russian machine from the 1980s until 2020, but the idea of building a memorial with a Russian aircraft was conceived in 2019.

See more here.

Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Tom Gross: I delivered Western jeans to Václav Havel pre-1989

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

Tom Gross campaigned for Roma rights and was active in the media in early 1990s Prague. However, the Englishman had had some remarkable experiences in the city even before joining the influx of young westerners to Czechoslovakia’s new democracy. These included covert deliveries to leading dissidents in the communist period – and inadvertently being in close proximity to some of the world’s most notorious terrorists. Gross shared his stories at our studios in Vinohrady.

You were one of thousands of young westerners who moved to Prague in the early 1990s, but unlike the vast majority of us you had already been here earlier.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Army chief-of-staff: Collective defense will be more expensive for us all

Photo: Petr Bušta, Czech Radio

“More funding, more soldiers and more active reserves” that was the message Czech army commanders sent to politicians and the public in connection with the growing threat of war. The army chief-of-staff said NATO’s new collective defense commitments would necessitate far-reaching changes in the Czech military.

The chief-of-staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Karel Řehka, has been warning for months that the country must prepare for a potential military conflict, but at Tuesday’s meeting of military commanders he was brutally frank about the need to bolster the armed forces and be prepared to pay much more for the country’s security.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Czech-Israeli relations in historical context

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

Israel’s recently appointed foreign minister, Gideon Saar, will visit Czechia on Thursday during his first official foreign trip. The Czech Republic supports the Jewish state in its fight against Hamas and Hezbollah with fewer reservations than other EU countries.

Czech society has had a strong Jewish presence since the Middle Ages.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Forgotten sound of Antonín Dvořák’s pipe organ rediscovered in Czech Radio archives

Photo: Lenka Žižková, Radio Prague International

Antonín Dvořák, one of the most celebrated composers of the 19th century, is not only associated with his birthplace Nelahozeves but also with Vysoká u Příbrami, where he spent many summers. During these stays, he was a regular visitor to the nearby church in Třebsko, attending morning mass. In 1894, Dvořák donated a set of organ pipes to the church, but unfortunately, these were destroyed in a devastating fire in 1953. Now, a rare recording of the organ’s sound has been uncovered in the archives of Czech Radio.

“Antonín Dvořák bought this pipe organ for the church here.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Czech head of diplomacy assures Ukraine of continued support as security situation worsens

Photo: Adam Blažej, ČTK

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský paid a two-day working visit to Kyiv at the weekend. In addition to meetings with President Zelensky, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Sybiha, Mr. Lipavský attended a summit on food security, visited a children’s hospital and a demining project of the HALO Trust fund.

Minister Lipavský arrived in Kyiv just a day after Russia launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile at the city of Dnipro.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Mělník – a city at the confluence of two national rivers celebrates 750 years

Photo: Jitka Nováková, Czech Radio

Although Mělník lacks a formal founding charter, the first historical mention of its status as a city appears in a document issued by King Ottokar II of Bohemia on November 25, 1274. Nestled in Central Bohemia, approximately 40 kilometers from Prague, Mělník is renowned for its rich history, architectural landmarks, and stunning views of the confluence of the Elbe and Vltava rivers.

Mělník’s dominant feature is its historic castle, owned by the noble Lobkowicz family.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Taras Bulba reflects Janáček’s love of Russian literature and the sound of his own mother tongue

Photo: public domain

Leoš Janáček was a classical music composer with a distinctly Czech style. Although one of his greatest works – Taras Bulba –was inspired by Russian literature, the music itself reflects the cadence of Janáček’s mother tongue and its Silesian dialect.

Leoš Janáček was born on July 3, 1854 in the small town of Hukvaldy in the eastern part of the Czech Republic.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Osamu Okamura: Most quality architecture is now happening outside Prague

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

Osamu Okamura was born in Tokyo to Japanese-Czech parents but moved to Prague while still an infant. An architect by profession, he is involved in a wide slew of activities, from academic work to popularising the concept of liveable cities among the general public. His family name is well-known in Czechia largely thanks to his brother Tomio Okamura, who heads a leading anti-EU political party, while a second sibling, Hayato Okamura, is also an MP.

You were born to a Czech mother and a Japanese father in the 1970s.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Tackling educational inequality with leading experts in early childhood development

Photo: Martin Faltejsek, Places To Grow

On 14 November, Places to Grow hosted a conference under its name that brought together early childhood development (ECD) experts to share research on early childhood development and what policymakers can do to stop educational imbalances and inequality. I went there to speak to the head of PAQ Research, Daniel Prokop; Professor of the National Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research at the University of Stavanger, Thomas Moser; and Senior Director for Strategic Engagements and Organizational Learning at Harvard University, James Cairns.

What are the key components of an effective preschool program, especially for disadvantaged children?.

See more here.

Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Brno to establish a museum dedicated to Leoš Janáček

Photo: Tomáš Kremr, Czech Radio

The city of Brno has approved a property exchange that will pave the way for a museum honoring composer Leoš Janáček. This significant cultural development coincides with the 170th anniversary of Janáček’s birth, an event celebrated by the ongoing international opera festival Janáček Brno.

Leoš Janáček and his works are now an essential part of global musical heritage.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

New campaign aims to address shortage of foreign organ donors in Czechia

Photo: Ondřej Vaňura, Czech Radio

Over 220 people in Czechia donated organs for transplantation last year, but a shortage of donors persists, especially among foreigners who have been living in the country. To help address this issue, the Prague-based Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM) has launched a new website to explain the importance of organ donation to the bereaved.

Two years ago, doctors in Czechia transplanted 80 organs from foreign donors, but this year, it was only 14 so far.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Belgium King’s Day

On the occasion of the King’s Day, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Mr. Jurgen Van Meirvenne hosted a reception at his beautiful residence.

Mr. Eduard Hulicius – the deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic, was the honored speaker.

Watch the video with the speech of t the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Mr. Jurgen Van Meirvenne and of Mr. Eduard Hulicius – the deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic,.

Long live the King!

ANIMALS FROM FAIRY TALES AND FABLES

Bear-like devil. It won’t take you to hell, but if you ever find yourself in the Darwin Crater at the Prague Zoo during their feeding, your blood might freeze. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

From December 2 to 20, Prague Zoo will offer free special pre-Christmas tours for kindergarten and elementary school students. Such guided walks will go after creatures known mainly from fairy-tale books or television screens and dispel various entrenched myths associated with them.

What does a real devil look like? Where do mythical dragons live? And what is it really like with dancing lemurs? Children will learn all this and much more on tours that can be booked now.

Schools can use the favorable price list for school groups to enter the zoo – kindergarten pupils pay CZK 50, and elementary school pupils CZK 100.

As part of the program, children will not only have the opportunity to learn interesting information about animals, but also actively participate in various games and activities, during which they will often work up a sweat. Experienced guides adapt the narrative and tasks to make them fun and understandable for all ages.

Green basilisk. You won’t be petrified by looking at it, but it can surprise you by “walking” on water. Photo by Tereza Mrhálková, Prague Zoo

Groups can visit the animals from fairy tales and fairy tales on working days from December 2 to 20, but you can already book your date via the order system (https://eshop.zoopraha.cz/skoly/).

The tours are intended for kindergartens and primary schools, the interpretation and route will be adapted to the age of the children. The minimum group size is ten pupils + pedagogical support; the maximum is 30 pupils + the corresponding number of persons making up the pedagogical supervision. The offer is valid until capacity is exhausted.

To participate in the tour, you need to pay the entrance fee according to the current price list. Even in this case, the offer of discounted admission for school groups applies. The visit, including the program, costs 50 or 100 CZK per child/pupil. Pedagogical accompaniment has free entry (maximum 1 adult per 10 children, maximum 1 adult per 5 children of preschool age).

DISCOUNTED ADMISSION PRICE LIST FOR SCHOOL GROUPS

Kindergartens CZK 50 / child

Elementary schools CZK 100 / pupil

Innovation and Investments: Global Forum Links Key Pillars for Tourism’s Future

Cartagena de las Indias, Colombia, 19 November 2024 – The heightened importance of boosting investments and innovation was underscored as public and private sector leaders met to shape the future of the global tourism sector. 

Further advancing UN Tourism’s leading role in these two key pillars of change, the Global Investment and Innovation Forum welcomed Ministers of Tourism, alongside key players from global finance and business. Alongside UN Tourism, the Forum was supported by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, ProColombia, Invest in Cartagena and CAF (the Investment Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean). Underscoring the high-level discussions was a recognition of the vital need to increase investment into the sector while at the same time injecting it with new ideas and energy through promoting innovation at every level.

Opening the Forum, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “There is both an urgency and an opportunity to build sustainable and inclusive destinations that support local economies, empower communities, and preserve their invaluable cultural heritage. This Forum makes clear the vital importance of connections: both between public and private sector players and also between countries, to increase and better direct investments into tourism, and to accelerate its digital transformation, with innovation at the heart of everything we do.”

Read more here.

Are Czech men in crisis?

Are Czech men in crisis? What do Czech women want from them? And what does “being a man” actually mean today? Solvo publishes unique research on the Crisis of Masculinity

The Solvo Institute, founded by Ivana Tykač, publishes research on the crisis of masculinity. In it, the think-tank investigated, for example, what “being a man” means for men and women, what women actually expect from men, and also how both sexes view housework.

Ivana Tykač then described the plan as follows: “Today we measure a lot of formalities and things that affect us only indirectly or are quite distant from people. We measure who would get into the House of Representatives next year, and how Czechs view EU membership, but this is not enough for us in Solv. It won’t tell you anything about the mood of the Czechs, their character, their soul, and what they are going through right now. That’s why we measure how people feel and build our expertise in a sociological-psychological view of the nation, which is fundamentally determined by the economic state of our country.”

It is clear from the research that the two sexes differ the most in their idea of ​​a man today in that he should be tolerant and empathetic (26% of women vs. 14% of men) and handsome and likeable (23% of women vs. 16% of men). On the contrary, both men and women agree that a man should be capable, hardworking, and helpful. After forty years of age, both men and women strongly reevaluate their requirements for a partner. However, they do not agree on some attributes.

The director of Solva, Michaela Marksová, adds to the research with the words: “How the Czech Republic will be efficient, innovative and rich begins precisely at home, in the relationship, in the mutual coexistence of all of us. We can measure GDP, inflation, debt levels, all these criteria. But the extent to which the Czech Republic will be a land of opportunities and how much it will be a pleasant place to live has its roots in the way both sexes communicate with each other, and their ideas about themselves. It is related to both satisfaction in private life and at work.”

The crisis of masculinity research was carried out for Solvo on 4-10 June 2024 SC&C agency, based on a sample of 627 respondents aged 18-64. The interviews were conducted using the CAPI (536), CAWI (131) and CATI (40) methods. In the past, Solvo has already carried out large-scale research with the SC&C agency, which focused on how Czech women and children feel.

Crisis of masculinity is already available on the website www.solvo.institute.

We are Solvo. Institute for Potential Development. Because we believe in the potential of Czech society. Unfortunately, we do not use it at all and lose hundreds of billions of crowns. Come unlock it with us. With cutting-edge data and unrivaled analysis.

Czech Travel Market – INTERNATIONAL B2B TOURISM MEETING DAY

The 7th year of the CZECH TRAVEL MARKET international tourism contracting day took place on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at the PVA EXPO PRAHA.

It was an advantage and a unique opportunity for business negotiations with several foreign and domestic partners.

At the same time, a big Expo of Czech Bus took place, with very interesting and innovative buses.

President Pavel: Czechs need more dialogue

Photo: Katherine Vašíčková, Czech Radio

With less than a year to go before the general elections, President Petr Pavel is calling on Czechs to listen more to one another.

Speaking to Czech Radio on the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, President Pavel shared his thoughts on the state of society, where divisions—often fueled by social media—seem to run deeper than ever.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Public collection underway to preserve bronze group sculpture of 82 murdered Lidice children

Photo: Ondřej Tomšů, Radio Prague International

The brutal massacre of Lidice by the Nazis in the summer of 1942 sent shockwaves around the world. Communities created memorials and organized events in memory of the victims, and some towns were renamed Lidice in defiance of the Nazis’ efforts to erase the village from the map. Eighty-two years after the tragedy, its legacy has not been forgotten. Today people are contributing to the reconstruction of the Lidice Memorial that serves as a memento to future generations. The biggest contribution to date has come from the United States.

The sculpture of 82 children murdered by the Nazis in the summer of 1942 –which stands on the site of the Lidice Memorial – is well-known around the world.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Czechia celebrates 35 years since the Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia

Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz

November 17th this year is the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, the events of late 1989 through which Czechoslovakia transitioned from a one-party communist state to a democratic and capitalist country.

The day is being marked with memorials, concerts and demonstrations across the country, with a particular focus being Prague’s Národní Street, the central thoroughfare where a student protest on this day sparked the revolution.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate

Prague Castle to get environmentally friendly lighting upgrade

Photo: Kristýna Maková, Radio Prague International

For the first time in 30 years, Prague Castle is set to receive new outdoor lighting. The aim is to better highlight the city’s iconic landmark while making the lighting more economical and environmentally friendly.

Prague Castle, the largest castle complex not only in Czechia but anywhere in the world, is the dominant of the city’s distinctive skyline.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Europe cannot reduce emissions alone, says head of Czech COP29 delegation

Photo: Office of Czech Government

Organisers of this year’s UN climate change conference, known as COP29, which began last week in Baku, Azerbaijan, have not shown great optimism as the event reaches its end on Friday. The atmosphere has not been helped by the re-election of Donald Trump as US president, leaving global climate agreements at a critical juncture, with their future once again hanging in the balance.

During former US President Donald Trump’s first term, the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement.

See more here.

Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Hello, Citizens! Prague exhibition pays tribute to protest singer Karel Kryl

Photo: Miroslav Urubek, Czech Radio

An exhibition celebrating the legendary protest singer Karel Kryl got underway in Prague on Sunday. The showcase marks two important anniversaries: the 80th anniversary of his birth and 30 years since his death. It aims to highlight Kryl not just as the author of popular songs but as a deeply engaged and critically minded citizen.

“Hello, citizens!” That was how Karel Kryl greeted the audience after his emotional return to Czechoslovakia from exile in December 1989.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Czechia gets praise for building inclusive environment for Ukrainian children

Illustrative photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

After Russia attacked Ukraine, more than one thousand days ago, Czechia welcomed more Ukrainian refugees relative to population than any other country. Among them were thousands and thousands of children who needed an education. Based on the findings of the Council of Europe, the country did a good job.

Mapping Study on Children of Ukraine’s Access to Education provides a detailed analysis of how member states have supported Ukrainian refugee children’s educational needs since the war began.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

“Fragile Home”: using mixed reality to show impact of Russia’s war on everyday life in Ukraine

Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International

Mixed reality (MR) has the potential to revolutionize storytelling by blending the physical and virtual worlds, which creates immersive experiences people would not be able to access otherwise. This innovative approach is at the heart of a compelling project that invites users to step into a Ukrainian home—a space that evolves to reflect the impact of Russia’s war. I spoke with one of its directors, Ondřej Moravec, about his collaboration with Victoria Lopukhina and the reception of the project thus far.

First I want to talk about Křehký Domov, “Fragile Home“, and about the motivation for using mixed reality.

See more here.

Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Government moves to enable insurance covered cross-border health care

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

The Czech government has moved to address a pressing problem in health care for people living in the border regions who often have to travel long distances to see a specialist or dentist. A proposed amendment to the law should open the way for cross-border health care to be covered by Czech insurance companies.

People living in the border regions with Germany and Austria have been pushing for accessible cross-border health care for years.

See more here.

Author: Daniela Lazarová

Czechoslovak 5000-crown note sells at auction for record-breaking 25.68 million crowns

Photo: Luděk Peřina, MFDNES + LN / Profimedia

A 5000-crown banknote, produced in April 1919 for the newly independent state of Czechoslovakia, was sold at auction on Friday 15th of November for 25.68 million crowns. It therefore became the most expensive paper currency ever sold within the country.

The red and elaborately decorated note, which neither the Czech National Bank nor the National Museum owns, went to auction with a starting price of 2.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate

Leoš Janáček’s Taras Bulba

Photo: Moravské zemské muzeum Brno

This episode of Czech Music Greats looks at the unique genius of Leoš Janáček, through his 1915-18 rhapsody for orchestra Taras Bulba. Based on a novella by the Russian writer Nikolai Gogol, this rhapsody in three movements tells the tragic tale of the elderly Cossack Taras Bulba.

See more here.

Author: Barbora Navrátilová

Six thousand kilometers of bananas: Fairtrade Czechia and Slovakia celebrate 20 years

Photo: Daniela Honigmann, Radio Prague International

Fair trade, the idea that shoppers should pay a fair price for crops grown in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, is gaining recognition in Czechia.

In 2004, the idea of fair trade in the Czech Republic was still new, and efforts focused on introducing the concept and making certified products available for sale.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Igor Pomerantsev: The BBC, and Daniel Defoe, helped me understand democracy

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

The poet and veteran broadcaster Igor Pomerantsev has been living in Prague since the mid-1990s, when his station, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, moved to the Czech capital. Born in Russia but raised in Ukraine, Pomerantsev left the Soviet Union at the end of his 20s after being accused of circulating “anti-Soviet literature”. He and his family later settled in London, where he worked for the Russian section of the BBC World Service. I spoke to Igor Pomerantsev, who is today 76, at our studios in Vinohrady.

You were born in Russia but grew up in Ukraine.

See more here.

Author: Ian Willoughby

Songs of the Velvet Revolution

Photo: Prokop Havel, Czech Radio

Today, we’re marking the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which saw the fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. To celebrate, we’ll be listening to some of the songs that filled the public squares during those historic days—many of which still resonate in Czech society, including Marta Kubišová’s Prayer for Marta and Jaroslav Hutka’s Náměšť.

See more here.

Dominik Hašek: first Czech ever inducted into NHL Hockey Hall of Fame 10 years ago

Photo: Nathan Denette, PA Images/Profimedia

10 years ago, former goaltender Dominik Hašek became the first Czech NHL hockey player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame is a rare and prestigious honor, reserved for only a select few. In Canada, the ceremony garners attention on par with the Stanley Cup Finals.

Dominik Hašek’s induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada, marked the pinnacle of a remarkable career for the 59-year-old native of Pardubice.

See more here.

A 17th-century man for our times: the life and lessons of the Moravian thinker John Amos Comenius

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

To commemorate the anniversary of the death of the great Moravian thinker and religious leader John Amos Comenius, Danny Bate spoke to scholar Lenka Pospíšilová about his life, legacy and relevance for the modern world.

On November 15th 1670, a giant of seventeenth-century intellectual life died in the Dutch city of Naarden.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate

Velvet 89: educational new game presents events of 1989 to new generation

Photo: Charles Games

In October, the team at Charles Games, the creators of such games as Playing Kafka and Attentat 1942, released Velvet 89, an immersive and educational experience that invites players to turn investigator in five cities across Czechoslovakia. Ahead of the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution on November 17th, Danny Bate spoke to designer, animator and university lecturer Ondřej Javora, who was behind the graphics of the new game.

“So the game is called Velvet 89, and it’s based on historical events.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate

The President of the Republic receives the Vice President of Vietnam

The President of the Republic Petr Pavel  received the Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan at Prague Castle on Thursday, November 14, 2024.

At the official meeting between the Czech delegation and the Vietnamese delegation participate also H.E. Mr. Hoai Nam DUONG – the Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Czech Republic.

Italian Fashion and Cinema – A never ending story

A beautiful exhibition “Fotogrammi di moda italiana: dagli anni ´50, l´Italia che veste il cinema internazionale” is open at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Praga, at the Baroque Chapel of the Institute in Vlašská Street 34 Prague.

Through a refined, sophisticated, and fascinating setup and iconic costumes, we will tell the story of an evergreen and sparkling love between Italian fashion and cinema. Italian fashion, thanks to the big screen indeed, conquered in a very short time the dreams of people from all over the world, and cinema, today as then, continues to be an international showcase for Made in Italy.

The inauguration took place at the Baroque Chapel of the Institute in Vlašská Street 34, in the presence of the curator Stefano Dominella, Marialuisa Pappalardo – director of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Praga, and Laura Calligaro – Deputy head of the Italian Mission.

It was a great pleasure to celebrate the beauty of Italian fashion all together.

The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge until January 18, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Markéta Pekarová Adamová visited neighboring Bavaria

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová together with MP Petr Fifka, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee for European Affairs,  visited neighboring Bavaria. In Munich, they discussed closer inter-parliamentary cooperation and cross-border trade and economic relations with the Speaker of the Bavarian State Assembly, Ilse Aigner, and the leadership of the Bavarian State Assembly. The Speaker also spoke at the Czech exposition as part of the prestigious international semiconductor fair Semicon.

“We have excellent neighborly relations with Bavaria. Mutual cooperation is successfully developing both between our legislatures and at the level of countless cross-border people-to-people contacts. Bavaria is, at the same time, our important business partner and an essential investor with us. The TAL oil pipeline also plays a strategic role in Czech-Bavarian relations, thanks to the expansion of which we are succeeding in a substantial way in getting rid of our former dependence on Russian oil,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

The president also spoke at the Czech exposition as part of the prestigious international semiconductor fair Semicon.

“We are systematically strengthening our country’s capacities in the field of chip design and production. Recently, a record investment by the Onsemi company in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm was announced, and in Brno, in cooperation with Taiwanese partners, we ceremoniously opened the Advanced Chip Research Center. This area is undergoing extremely dynamic development today and it is good that we are becoming a relevant player in this key industry with high added value. I am therefore glad that representatives of Czech companies and research institutes are helping to present this fact here in Bavaria,” said the speaker of the House of Representatives, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, among other things, in her speech.

In Munich, the parliamentary delegation also visited the influential Hanns Seidel Stiftung Research Foundation. They discussed with their leading experts the current development of Russian aggression in Ukraine and the future of transatlantic relations.

AUTUMN ZOO PRAGUE

The wolf pack begins to grow winter fur, which protects these animals from the cold. This is due to its special arrangement, which creates a kind of mantle on key parts of the body, along which water flows. Pictured is a male Eurasian Grim wolf. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The Prague Zoo invites you to visit even during dry weather. Animals grow winter fur and many of them can be proud of their bushy coats. Fallen leaves diversify the diet of many species and at the same time provide an impressive backdrop for the eyes of visitors and the lenses of photographers. While moose, wolves, or Manchurian leopards enjoy the November weather, people can warm up immediately after observing them in fifteen heated pavilions.

The just-launched mobile application of the Prague Zoo also encourages you to visit, which offers tickets at a favorable price, facilitates movement in the area, and contains a number of other functions, including medallions of bred species or notifications about their feeding. Commented feeding and meetings with the animals currently take place during the weekend days.

The Prague Zoo complex is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in November. At 5 p.m., the Light Zoo opens its doors, featuring 110 giant lanterns in the form of African animals and plants, interactive projections, and a 70-meter-long light tunnel. People can find the light zoo in the lower part of the complex, and there is a separate entrance and entrance fee for it.

The popular cable car connecting the lower and upper parts of the Prague Zoo remains exceptionally open this year, not only on weekends but also on weekdays, until January.

November full of great events in Prague at the Italian Cultural Institute

Focused on cinematography with the exhibition “Fotogrammi di moda italiana” and the 12th annual MittelCinemaFest. Concert by Oscar winner Nicola Piovani

The Italian Cultural Institute (IKI) in Prague offers a program full of exceptional events for November 2024 with a special focus on the world of film – told through fashion and contemporary Italian film – and with the extraordinary participation of Oscar winner Nicola Piovani.

On Wednesday, November 13, the exhibition “Fotogrammi di moda italiana. Since the 1950s, Italy has dressed the world’s cinema”, an exhibition curated by Stefano Dominella, Honorary President of Maison Gattinoni, and organized by IKI to commemorate the fusion of film and fashion, which has always represented one of the most important aspects of Italian creation in the world. Original dresses worn by iconic actresses who dictated new styles, such as Lana Turner, Anita Ekberg, Audrey Hepburn, Anna Magnani, Sophia Loren, Monica Bellucci, Gina Lollobrigida, Fanny Ardant, Charlotte Rampling, Liz Taylor, Claudia Cardinale and Maria Callas. During this Prague stop of the exhibition, an exclusive tribute is also paid to the Czech top model and actress, naturalized Italian Eva Herzigová. Through 41 original dresses signed by famous tailors, stylists and ateliers such as Fernanda Gattinoni, Renato Balestra, Emilio Schuberth, Sartoria Peruzzi, Annamode Costumes, Irene Galitzine, Laura Biagiotti and Guillermo Mariotto, the “Fotogrammi di moda italiana” exhibition tells visitors a story beauty, elegance and creativity.

The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge until January 18, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 

On November 14 at 7 p.m., it will be the turn of music with Nicola Piovani, winner of the Oscar for the soundtrack to the film “Life is Beautiful”, who will lead Maria Rita Combattelli (soprano), Oreste Valente (recitation voice) and the Prague Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra in the Church of St. Šimon and Judy and in Prague performing “La Vita Nuova”, a cantata for recital voice, soprano and small orchestra, composed by Maestro Piovani, inspired by the famous work of Dante Alighieri: a musical work that explores Dante’s love for his beloved Beatrice in a journey full of narrative and musical beauty. The concert, organized by the Italian Cultural Institute in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Prague, is free. You can choose and download tickets on the website of the event managed by Nachtigall Artists:https://www.nachtigallartists.cz/projekty/nicola-piovani-la-vita-nuova-2024

MittelCinemaFest, the Central European festival of contemporary Italian cinematography, which is being held in the Czech Republic for the twelfth time this year, will open again in the Lucerna cinema in Prague on November 28. Until December 4, eight full-length films in their original version with English and Czech subtitles will be premiered for the Prague audience, presenting a selection of the best of Italian productions in 2024. A detailed program of screenings will be published in the coming days and will also be available at: https://www.mittelcinemafest.cz/cs/uvod MittelCinemaFest is a project of Cinecittà and the Italian Ministry of Culture; it is organized by the Italian Cultural Institute and the Lucerna cinema in Prague under the auspices of the Italian Embassy in Prague, with the support of the capital city of Prague and in cooperation with a number of media partners, including the Italian-Czech Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CAMIC), the news magazine La Pagina, the magazine Progetto Repubblica Ceca, Radio 1.cz and ČSFD – Czech-Slovak film database.

As Marialuisa Pappalardo, director of the Prague IKI, emphasized: “We are proud to be able to share a truly exceptional program with our audience. We will immerse ourselves in the history of Italian fashion and its connection with world cinema, we will immerse ourselves in Dante’s poetry with the music of Oscar winner Piovani, together we will discover the news of contemporary Italian cinema and together we will experience the beauty and uniqueness of Italian culture!”.

In November, the Institute also offers other initiatives, including an exhibition dedicated to the art of Venetian glass “Paolo Venini and his workshop” at the Museum of Applied Arts in Prague; Luigi Zoja’s lecture “Paranoia, madness that makes history” in the Václav Havel Library; the presentation of Cristina Cassar Scalia’s book “Sabbia nera” as part of the Week of Italian Cuisine; Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “Don Pasquale” under the direction of maestro Marco Armiliato in Prague’s Municipal House. The complete program of the month is available at this link: https://iicpraga.voxmail.it/p/k41rc0/c-7750a436

Prague Castle will open to the public on Saturday, November 30

Prague Castle will open its doors again on Saturday, November 30, for the second time this year. Visitors will be able to visit the Christmas-decorated and normally inaccessible representative spaces, where President Petr Pavel holds important meetings or receives important guests. The open day is held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free.

The visitor circuit will start at the Matyášá gate. People will gradually see Plečnik’s Hall of Columns, Rothmayer’s or Spanish Hall or Rudolf’s Gallery. The tour will also include the Throne Room, the Habsburg Salon, and the Salon of Mirrors. The approaching Advent will also be reminded of the Christmas decorations of some rooms and decorated Christmas trees.

In addition to the representative spaces, permanent exhibitions will also be accessible for free, the Cathedral of St. Vita, Zlatá ulička, Old Royal Palace, Basilica of St. George or South Gardens. On Open Doors Day, Prague Castle will continue its Advent program entitled Christmas Tour through Prague Castle. There are three stops waiting for visitors.

A Christmas yurt of the Forman Brothers will be built on the terrace of the Riding Hall, where people will learn about the story of the birth of Jesus. The Rožmberk Palace will host an exhibition of traditional Czech blown ornaments and there will also be Christmas concerts. “With the Fragile Beauty of Christmas exhibition, we want to commemorate the long tradition of making Christmas decorations, which is even on the UNESCO list. Visitors can also enjoy Christmas concerts every Sunday. Music of the Castle Guard and the Police of the Czech Republic will be played, carols will be sung by pupils of Prague elementary art schools. The entire Christmas program is free. Coming to the Castle just once this year simply won’t be enough,” explains Veronika Wolf, cultural and program director of the Prague Castle.

Due to capacity reasons, the Great South Tower of the Cathedral and the exhibition The Heart is a Temple will not be part of the Open Day.

The Bethlehem yurt at Prague Castle: The Forman Brothers Theatre

where: Terrace of the Riding School

when: 30/11/2024-5/1/2025

Fragile beauty of Christmas: Exhibition of traditional Czech ornaments

where: Rosenberg Palace

when: 30/11/2024 – 5/1/2025

Advent singing at the Cathedral of St. Welcome

where: III. courtyard in front of the cathedral of St. Welcome

every Advent Sunday, always from 2:00 p.m

Details on the website www.hrad.cz.

Embassy of the Republic of Korea Hosts the 2024 Korean Food Festival and Korean Chef Competition.

Introducing the Best Korean Cuisine Chef in the Czech Republic!

The Korean Embassy in the Czech Republic is delighted to announce the winners of the Korean Food Festival and Korean Cooking Competition, held on 13 November at ChefParade. The event celebrated Czech enthusiasts of Korean cuisine who competed in a spirited culinary showdown, showcasing their skills, creativity, and love for Korean flavors.

In an impressive display of culinary talent, Adam Žalmánek took home the top prize, a top-of-the-line Korean rice cooker, with his flavorful and skillfully prepared Budae Jjigae. Lukáš Kohout wowed the judges with his Bulgogi Bibimbap earning him the second place and a high quality air fryer, finally in third place, Ondřej Hula with his heartwarming Sogogi Siraegi Soup, taking home a Korean restaurant coupon worth 1000 CZK. Of course, other contestants did not go empty-handed, as everyone who took part but did not place in the top three, was awarded a set of Korean cooking ingredients, and all contestants received a custom apron with the motif of the festival.

The winners were chosen by a panel of distinguished judges, including a renowned Czech chef from the National Culinary Team – Pavel Švestka, the chef from the Korean Ambassador’s residence – Mr. Hyun Ho Shin, and the culture attaché from the Korean Embassy – Mrs. Hyunsung Park, who assessed the competitors on their culinary expertise, creativity, and the personal stories they shared behind each dish.

The judges expressed their satisfaction with the contestants’ dishes and expertise, Pavel Švestka commented: “It was a friendly gathering of Korean culture enthusiasts, including both Czechs and foreigners, which created a wonderful atmosphere. The food tasting was a real highlight, and the event was a success that also brings progress for young aspiring chefs. The organization was excellent, and the entire event had a great, friendly spirit. Despite some of the contestants being beginners, their dishes were truly delicious.”

Mr. Shin noted with delight how much Czech participants appreciate Korean cuisine, expressing his admiration for their enthusiasm and skill in preparing traditional Korean dishes. He found it heartening to see their dedication to mastering Korean flavors and techniques and was impressed with the outstanding results.

The Embassy expresses its deepest gratitude to all participants who contributed their cherished memories and unique Korean recipes to this event. Their passion and dedication brought this festival to life, creating a bridge between Czech and Korean cultures through the universal language of food.

Freedom Week kicks off in Prague

Photo: Jan Hlaváček,Díky, že můžem

Czechia approaches the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and end of Communism in 1989. To commemotrate the historic milestone, Freedom Week kicks off in Prague.

The series of events and happenings is organized by “Díky, že můžem” – “Thanks that we can” – an organization dedicated to promoting civic engagement and historical awareness.

See more here.

Author: Vít Pohanka

Remains of the only US pilot killed in Brno in WWII handed over to US Ambassador

Photo: Igor Šefr, ČTK

Eighty years ago, U.S. pilot William L. Kiggins was killed during a combat mission over Brno, becoming the only American soldier to die in the Moravian capital during World War II. On Wednesday, the American Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Bijan Sabet received the skeletal remains found at the crash site a few years ago, believed to belong to the pilot.

Second Lieutenant William L.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Butter prices surge before Christmas in Czechia

Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

As the holiday season draws near, Czech households face a bitter challenge to their holiday baking traditions: soaring butter prices. With a 40% year-on-year increase, the cost of butter reached over 70 crowns in some stores. Some, including Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný, have raised concerns about possible price manipulation.

In October, the average price of a 250-gram block of butter reached 59 crowns, with some stores charging over 70 crowns—a 40% increase from last year, prompting concern among households planning holiday baking.

See more here.

Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Into the Depths of the Mushroom: Prague exhibition showcases house made of mycelium

Photo: Ruth Fraňková, Radio Prague International

An exhibition exploring the fascinating world of mushrooms is currently on display at the National Technical Library in Prague. Titled Do hloubi houby, or Into the Depths of the Mushroom, the exhibition presents the potential uses of mycelium in construction, architecture and design.

When most people think of mushrooms, they picture the cap and stem visible above the ground.

See more here.

Author: Ruth Fraňková

Director of CzechTourism on 2024 summer season and beyond

Photo: Radio Prague International

Summer is over, and now CzechTourism, the country’s state-funded central tourist office, is reflecting on its successes and problems. The organisation’s director, František Reismüller, spoke to Danny Bate about the season just gone, as well as his predictions for this winter and his vision for CzechTourism in the years to come.

What was new or different about the summer season for tourism this year in Czechia?.

See more here.

Author: Danny Bate

Does Prague have a car problem? Expert comments on key obstacles to building a more sustainable city

Photo: Filip Jandourek, Czech Radio

Prague’s car problem is not a secret. High car ownership persists, mainly because of political resistance and historical preservation laws which inadvertently hinder efforts to reduce car dependency. The dependency poses a challenge to its sustainability goals, increases noise pollution in the city, and is dangerous to pedestrians. So, what’s being done? I spoke with Urbanist at the Sustainable Urbanism Laboratory Zuzana Poláková to discuss some of these challenges that prevent a more sustainable Prague.

Let’s start with some basics.

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Author: Jakub Ferenčík

“Now I Feel Safe”: Prague-based journalist speaks to Czech Radio after nine months in Russian detention

Photo: Matěj Skalický, Vinohradská 12

Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist, was released in a landmark prisoner exchange in August, following nine months in Russian detention. The mother of two was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military. On August 1, she was finally reunited with her family, along with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and Paul Welan. Kurmasheva sat down to speak to Czech Radio’s Matěj Skalický about her experience.

How are you feeling?.

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Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Skeletal remains of three mammoths discovered in Brno city centre

Photo: Moravian Museum Brno

Archaeologists from the Moravian city of Brno have reported an unprecedented discovery. During a rescue excavation in the broader city center, they unearthed the bones of at least three mammoths, alongside remains from other animals. They also discovered tools from prehistoric people who hunted these animals approximately 15,000 years ago.

During the rescue excavation near Brno’s city centre, the archaeologists uncovered skeletal remains of at least three mammoths, specifically teeth, two shoulder blades, and a thigh bone.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková, Vlasta Gajdošíková

Roast goose, new wine and first snows: Czechia celebrates St. Martin’s Day

Photo: Danny Bate, Radio Prague International

November 11th is the feast day of St. Martin in the Christian calendar, a day that brings with it a variety of traditions in Czechia. Most notable among these is a particularly hearty meal, consisting of roast goose, cabbage and dumplings. Danny Bate paid a visit to one Prague pub especially renowned for its St. Martin’s goose, and spoke to some of the diners there.

Among the many saints of medieval Europe, Martin of Tours was one of the heavyweights.

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Author: Danny Bate

Memorial 1620: re-enactment of a military march from Rakovník to Bílá Hora

Photo: Ondřej Deml, ČTK

On the occasion of the 404th anniversary of the Battle of Rakovník and the Battle of the White Mountain, the Bohemian troops set out again this year to meet their crushing defeat. The fifty-kilometer march significantly impacted the motivation and combat readiness of the soldiers in the fateful clash between Habsburgs and Estates troops.

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Adam Stewart: Many Czechs don’t believe Cimrman plays could possibly work in English

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

Englishman Adam Stewart is the founder and artistic director of the Prague Youth Theatre, a thriving company bring together around 200 children and teenagers from dozens of different nations in the Czech capital. He is also a leading member of the Cimrman English Theatre; it performs plays “by” the much-loved Czech comedic character Jára Cimrman to English-speaking audiences and recently celebrated 10 years of existence. I spoke to Stewart at the PYT’s offices in the Vršovice district.

What first brought you to Prague, Adam?.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

The Cunning Little Vixen: An Opera by Janáček Full of Nature and Folk Wisdom

Photo: HubertFM, Pixabay, Pixabay License

For this week’s Sunday Music Show, we will be playing you some music by Leoš Janáček, “The Cunning Little Vixen” – ranked among the most important Czech operas of the 20th century for the 100th anniversary of its premier on November 6, 1924, in the city of Brno under the direction of František Neumann.

Inspired by a comic strip by Rudolf Těsnohlídek in the Lidové noviny newspaper in the early 1920s, Janáček created one of the most original works in Czech classical music.

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November 12, 1989: Canonization of Agnes of Bohemia

Photo: Radio Prague International

Thirty-five years ago, the canonization of Agnes of Bohemia marked a turning point for Czechoslovakia, symbolizing hope and the promise of change as the Velvet Revolution loomed on the horizon. On November 12, 1989—just five days before the revolution began—10,000 Czechoslovak pilgrims filled St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City to witness the canonization of the Czech patroness by Pope John Paul II.

Originally, plans called for the ceremony to take place in Czechoslovakia, but the ruling Communist regime refused the Pope’s entry into the country.

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404 years since the fateful Battle of White Mountain

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

November 8th is the anniversary of the Battle of White Mountain (Bitva na Bílé hoře), fought in 1620 just outside Prague, which brought disaster for the ruling Czech aristocracy and drastically altered the face of the Czech lands.

On November 8th 1620, in cold and wet autumn weather, a force of 21,000 Bohemian troops and mercenaries under the command of Christian of Anhalt took up a defensive position eight miles outside of Prague.

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Author: Danny Bate

British defence attaché Col. Jonathan Kitson on his role, Remembrance Sunday and Poppy Appeal

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

November 11th is Armistice Day, the international commemoration of the end of the First World War, which offers us today an opportunity to remember and honour those who have given their lives in combat. In the United Kingdom, the day is accompanied by Remembrance Sunday, and its distinctly British acts of remembrance will be taking place in Prague too. Danny Bate spoke to Colonel Jonathan Kitson, defence attaché at the British Embassy, about the nature of his position, and his role in November’s events of military commemoration.

Within the world of diplomacy and international relations, people will be familiar with titles like ‘ambassador’, but could you explain to us, what is the role of a defence attaché, which is your position here in Czechia and Slovakia?.

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Author: Danny Bate

Charles University’s first female rector on US collaborations, equal opportunities and other challenges

Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz

Professor Milena Králíčková, the first woman to hold the position of rector in Charles University’s centuries-long history, recently returned from a working visit to the United States aimed at strengthening existing academic partnerships and exploring new collaborations. I met with Mrs. Králíčková at the Carolinum, the historic seat of Charles University, to discuss the US mission, but we also spoke about the significance of being the first female rector, her goals for advancing equality, and how the university has dealt with the tragic shooting at the Faculty of Arts last December.

You’ve recently returned from a working trip to the US aimed at deepening cooperation with prestigious universities.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Karlovy Vary concert hall wins Czech Architecture Award 2024

Photo: Petr Horník, Právo/Profimedia

This year’s Czech Architecture Award went to the new Concert Hall in Karlovy Vary, set within the renovated Imperial Spa complex.

The newly completed Concert Hall in Karlovy Vary, designed by architects Petr Hájek, Nikoleta Slováková, and Martin Stoss of the Petr Hájek Architekti studio, has won the prestigious Czech Architecture Award for 2024.

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Author: Vít Pohanka

70th Algeria’s National Day Celebration

On the occasion of the 70th Algeria’s National Day, the Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Belkacem Zeghmati, and his spouse hosted a reception at the iconic Grand Hotel International.

Mr. Jiri Kozak – the first deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic, was the honored speaker.

Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Mr.Belkacem  Zeghmati, the Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Czech Republic, and of Mr. Jiri Kozak – the first deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic.

The speech is in Arabic, moderated to English by Mr. Moustafa DAHOU, First Secretary.

Algeria – Happy 70th National Day

Slovak Gala Concert – 2024

On the occasion of the anniversary of the Czechoslovak Republic, H.E. Ms. Ingrid BROCKOVÁ, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Czech Republic, and Ms. Ľubica Krénova, director of the Slovak Institute in Prague, hosted a Gala concert at the beautiful Smetana Hall in the Municipal House.

The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, with the conductor Daniel Raiskin and Maria Porubcinova – soprano and Stanislav Masaryk – Trumpet, performed several pieces from different times for the enjoyment of the audience. You can find the full program in the pictures.

Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Ms. Ingrid BROCKOVÁ, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the Czech Republic, and Ms. Ľubica Krénova, director of the Slovak Institute in Prague, and a few music highlights.

The National Gallery in Prague offers a unique view of the art of interwar Paris

The National Gallery Prague (NGP) is pleased to present the exhibition “École de Paris: Artists from Bohemia and Interwar Paris”, which focuses on an important but still less mapped chapter of Czech art in France. It will take place from November 8, 2024, to March 2, 2025, in the Valdštejnská jízdárna and brings a view of artists who were better known in interwar Paris than in their homeland, such as Georges Kars, Othon Coubine and François Zdeněk Eberl, whose works will be exhibited in Prague for the very first time.

According to curator Anna Pravdová, the exhibition will take visitors to the Parisian art scene of the 1920s and 1930s. “Although the names of František Kupka, Josef Šíma, Jindřich Štyrský and Toyen are today most often associated with Czech art in France, the Parisian audience at the time had completely different favorites. Kars, Coubine, and Eberl were much better known and exhibited

in the most prestigious galleries, they published monographs. As part of this exhibition, we will recall their art again and present it to the Czech audience in the broader context of the Paris school.” In addition to the works of these three key authors, the exhibition will also offer works by their contemporaries, including world-famous names such as Amedeo Modigliani, Marc Chagall, Suzanne Valadon, Chaïm Soutine, Jules Pascin, Chana Orloff or Maurice Utrillo. And the photographer of night Paris Brassaï will not be missing either.

Interwar Paris and the “return to order”

After the First World War, artists reacted to the conflict, which until then had no comparison in the world, processed their own deep experiences fear of the past and the future. Some continued the art before the war; others sought new forms. At that time, Paris was the beating center of the cosmopolitan art world, where different styles and approaches intermingled. The exhibition takes the viewer to the galleries and salons of the time, to Montmartre and Montparnasse, among artists, collectors, but also people on the fringes of society and prostitutes. It will show scenes from cabarets and circuses, portraits of artists, still lifes, urban and Provençal landscapes. In addition to commemorating the creators who dominated artistic Paris between the two wars, the exhibition also focuses on the themes and styles that shaped their work and were very popular on the art scene of the time. That is, to modern figurative work and interwar neoclassicism, a return to the classical form of art. Artists such as Kars and Coubine reacted to social changes by “returning to order”, their work thus – after the chaos and horrors of the First World War – returns to stability and peace and leaves the pre-war experimentation.

Unique works and archival research

Visitors will have a unique opportunity to see a number of works that have not been exhibited before. Among them are works that have recently been discovered in American collections and returned to Europe for the first time. It is a set of works by Othon Coubin, which belonged to the collector Leo Stein, the brother of the famous writer and the poet Gertrude Stein.

The exhibition is the result of several years of research by curator Anna Pravdová, which included not only the study of periodicals and correspondence, but also thorough research in private and public archives in France, Austria and the United States.

“This exhibition is a continuation of the previous exhibitions of Czech artists in France, which the National Gallery Prague presented – Kupka, Šíma and Toyen,” says general director Alicja Knast, adding: “Now I cordially invite everyone to immerse themselves in interwar Paris with us and enjoy the art of Kars, Coubin and Eberl, Czech painters who managed to establish themselves there. I see the School of Paris above all as a powerful symbol of how diversity and freedom can foster extraordinary creativity. And I am pleased that, in addition to the works of the already mentioned artists, the work of Modigliani, Chagall or, for example, the unique Chana Orloff, a French sculptor of Ukrainian origin, will be on display.”

Around 250 works on loan from prestigious European museums (e.g. Musée d’art Moderne de Paris, Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, Musée de Montmartre or Musée de Grenoble), from the most important Czech public galleries and from a number of foreign and domestic private collections will be on display.

Public and educational programs for the exhibition

Educational programs, open to all age groups, draw the public into the context of contemporary events. Of course, there are a number of guided tours with the curator and other specialists. February marks the 80th anniversary of the tragic death of Georges Kars at the end of the Second World War, and one evening will therefore be dedicated to his memory and significance in the context of interwar Paris. Other lectures will be devoted to the phenomenon of Paris in film, for example, and space will also be given to live art during readings of poetry by French poets, or at concerts or screenings. Playrooms, workshops and workshops are prepared for children and adults who want to be actively inspired by art for their own creations.

For school groups, there is both an educational program exploring the personality of a fictitious collector and a tour with lecturers who will explain to pupils and students in a comprehensible manner the most interesting aspects of the entire exhibition. The exhibition is open to everyone, regardless of age opened an interactive Studio in which visitors are transported back in time a hundred years to the environment of a Parisian cafe, game room or art collector’s apartment.

The NGP publishes several publications for the exhibition: an illustrated guide/catalog was created to the exhibition, which will also be available in English, as well as another part of the Pocket Pictures edition, this time focused on the creative thinking of Georges Kars. For younger children, the illustrated book Little Trip to Paris is published, which you can go on accompanied by the cartoonist Tita, the painter Zdeňko and the cat Cyril.

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Fates of artists

The stories of all three artists intertwine with the dramatic fates of Europe during the last century and are anything but linear and black and white. Georges Kars (born as Georg Karpeles), Othon Coubine (originally Otakar Kubín) and François Zdenek (František Zdeněk) Eberl came to France already before the First World War. Kars was a Czech German of Jewish origin, during the war he fought on the side of Austria-Hungary. Eberl joined the Czechoslovak legions in France, was seriously wounded, and later worked as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. During the First World War, Coubin and his wife were first interned in a foreigner’s camp near Bordeaux, then worked in the National Library and participated in the resistance activities of the Czechoslovak colony in Paris.

After the war, all three met in Paris, and their realistic figurative painting enjoyed unprecedented success there. They established themselves on the art scene of the time, but in Czechoslovakia after the war Kars and Eberl were hardly talked about. During the Second World War, Kars first hid in France and later, under rather dramatic circumstances, crossed the border into Switzerland, where he lived with his sister near Zurich. Nervously exhausted, he committed suicide in February 1945. Eberl briefly joined the French Resistance. In the interwar period, he often stayed in Monaco, where he later received honorary citizenship. He died in the early sixties in France. Coubine returned home in the 1950s, lived alternately in Prague and his native Boskovice, and became a distinguished artist. After thirteen years, he headed back to France and spent the last years of his life in Provence.

Details

École de Paris: Artists from Bohemia and interwar Paris

Venue: National Gallery Prague, Valdštejnská jízdárna

Date: November 8, 2024 – March 2, 2025

Curator: Anna Pravdová (Collection of Modern Art NGP)

Exhibition architect: Zbyněk Baladrán

Exhibition graphics: Studio Okolo – Matěj Činčera, Jan Klos

Jozef Síkela’s Vision as European Commissioner for International Partnerships

Photo: Matěj Skalický, Czech Radio

Jozef Síkela spoke to the European Parliament on Wednesday to defend his designation as European Commissioner for International Partnerships. Síkela was questioned by members of the Development Committee, outlining a vision for the EU’s Global Gateway strategy that balances economic interests with core European values.

In his opening speech to the European Parliament, Jozef Síkela stressed that his approach to the EU’s Global Gateway strategy would strive to find a balance between profit and principle.

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Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Historic Savarin Palace to become permanent home of Alfons Mucha Museum

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

The newly reconstructed Baroque Savarin Palace on the street Na Příkopě in central Prague will serve as the permanent home of the Alfons Mucha Museum. The partnership was announced earlier this week by the Mucha Foundation and Crestyl, the developer behind the Savarin project.

Architect Eva Jiřičná, who recently received the Order of the White Lion for her contributions to Czech culture, is designing the museum’s exhibitions, covering over 1,100 square meters.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Mezipatra Queer Film Festival begins two-week programme for 2024

Source: Festival Mezipatra

Mezipatra, a Czech name that translates to ‘mezzanine’, is an internationally renowned LGBT-focused film festival, and it returns for this year on November 7th. First founded back in 2000, this year’s programme features a rich selection of films from a variety of countries, among which will be the winners of the festival juries’ awards for Best Feature Film and Best Short Film. The festival’s head of programme, Kristýna Genttnerová, spoke to Danny Bate about what awaits fans and viewers this year.

I’d like to start by asking about the name of this film festival: Mezipatra.

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Author: Danny Bate

My Country: National Museum exhibition celebrates Bedřich Smetana’s masterpiece

Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International

An exhibition dedicated to Czech composer Bedřich Smetana and his most famous piece, the cycle of six symphonic poems entitled My Country, has got underway at Prague’s National Museum. The exhibition, which is part of the Year of Czech Music, commemorates 200 years since the birth of the Czech musical great.

The new exhibition dedicated to Smetana’s My Country was launched this Tuesday, November 5, marking exactly 142 years since the complete cycle premiered at the Žofín Palace in Prague.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Off the beaten track: EPU app combats overtourism with alternative routes

Photo: Eupure

EPU, an app created by the Czech software companies Gatyer and Algodos, and with support from the Ministry of the Environment, aims to offer tourists alternative paths to follow and places to visit. In doing so, EPU seeks to take pressure off certain nature hotspots and literally broaden horizons.

The acronym EPU stands for the Czech words ekologie, příroda and udržitelnost – ecology, nature and sustainability.

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Author: Danny Bate

Velvet Revolution anthem and Hussite hymn among six Czech songs selected for EU songbook

Photo: The European Union Songbook Association

Marta Kubišová’s Prayer for Marta, the unofficial anthem of the Velvet Revolution, and the Hussite chant Ktož jsú boží bojovníci, or All You Mighty Warriors of God, are among the six Czech songs selected for the first-ever EU Songbook, published on Tuesday.

The idea to create a European Union Songbook began in Copenhagen in 2015, with the aim of celebrating the rich cultural diversity of each member state.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Ornithologists and dancers unite to protect Prague’s birds

Photo: Prague City Hall

A campaign simply called ‘Bird Traps’ (Pasti na ptáky) has been launched to raise public awareness and improve the protection of Prague’s birdlife. The centrepiece of the campaign is a powerful video, featuring professional dancers and filmed in the Czech countryside.

The Birds Traps project is the brainchild of two naturalist organisations: the Czech Coalition for the Protection of Biodiversity and the Czech Ornithological Society.

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Author: Danny Bate

Success, home, friendship focus of Marie Dvořáková’s new Marie Tomanová documentary

Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

New documentary World Between Us follows Czech photographer Marie Tomanová as her career skyrockets in New York. The intimate film is also a portrait of Tomanová’s art historian husband, Thomas Beachdel – and reflects the close friendship between the photographer and its director, fellow Czech Marie Dvořáková. I caught up with Dvořáková, a one-time Student Oscar winner who has also spent a large part of her life in the US, days after the documentary’s world premiere.

What was the starting point for World Between Us?.

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Author: Ian Willoughby

Grand Hotel Evropa: Prague’s stunning Art Nouveau building opens under new luxury brand

Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International

The iconic Art Nouveau Hotel Evropa on Prague’s Wenceslas Square has reopened to the public after an extensive renovation that lasted over a decade. Now rebranded as “W Prague”, the hotel is managed by Marriott as part of its upscale W Hotels collection.

The hotel’s history stretches back to 1872, when it was originally constructed in the Neo-Renaissance style.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

You can read more about the design in the interview with Pavla Doležalová.

Historic Torah, looted by the Nazis, finds new home in Liberec

Photo: Jana Pavlíčková, Czech Radio

A historic Torah scroll that survived the Holocaust and decades of neglect under Communist rule has found a new home in Liberec. On Saturday, the rare artefact was loaned to the local Jewish community on a long-term basis by the Memorial Scrolls Trust in London, which manages over 1,500 Torah scrolls from Bohemia and Moravia.

For the Jewish Community of Liberec, acquiring the scroll has been a significant event.

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Author: Ruth Fraňková

Czech Space Week 2024 lifts off!

Photo: Czech Space Week

November 4th is the start of seven days of exciting events that make up this year’s Czech Space Week. Designed to promote the space industry in Czechia and inspire the next generation of galactic enthusiasts, Czech Space Week is happening across the country, and has something for everyone. I spoke to Marie Němečková, director of Space Hub and member of the Czech Space Team, about what the week has in store:

Could you introduce for us the whole world of the Czech Space Week? How long has it been going on for, and what organisations are involved in putting it together?.

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Author: Danny Bate

You can read more in the interview with Petr Kapoun, CEO at TRL Space.

Prague ranked among Europe’s top ten cities to visit in autumn

Photo: Danny Bate, Radio Prague International

According to a recent study, the Czech capital stands out as one of the most popular European cities to visit in autumn. Tourists love the city’s architectural beauty, which, combined with the reds and yellows typical of nature during this season, make Prague an idyllic setting.

Prague, dressed in autumnal colours, has been recognised as one of Europe’s most picturesque destinations for this time of year, ranked seventh in the most beautiful European cities, according to an analysis by travel company Travelbag.

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Author: Danny Bate