Posts

The renowned Czech jazz pianist and composer Emil Viklický turns 75 on November 23. In connection with that milestone, a folk-based LP he brought out in the early 1990s is being re-released. After earning a degree in maths in Czechoslovakia...

How should you teach children about the tumultuous events of 1989 in a way that conveys the enormous gravity of what happened without being too heavy-handed? And how much do kids nowadays actually know about it? Is it even still relevant? To...

Prague hosted a summit of the presidents of the countries within the Czech presidency of the Visegrad Group countries. In addition to President Petr Pavel, Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová attended the meeting, Hungarian President Katalin...

After freezing Russian state-owned property on Czech territory, Czechia is now pushing for restrictions on movement for Russian diplomats within the Schengen space. Prague argues that Russian agents working undercover as diplomats greatly...

New research from the HateFree Culture group indicates that over the last ten years, Czech attitudes towards minorities living in the country have improved, especially towards Roma people. But while many Czechs are now ready to accept Romanies...

Prague’s D21 theatre will be hosting a special event on Wednesday night: three original radio plays, performed live on stage with actors accompanied by music and sound effects. One of the people behind the project, produced by Dark Bark Drama...

EU countries will have to implement a directive that requires firms to disclose the salaries of employees by 2025. The move is intended to improve gender equality, and aims to eliminate gaps in wages between men and women. While some welcome...

The New Stage of the Czech National Theatre opened to the public on November 20, 1983 with a performance of Josef Kajetán Tyl’s The Strakonice Bagpiper. The Brutalist-style building was designed by architect Karel Prager, who is also...

A Christmas market has already started on the square Horní náměstí in the Moravian city of Olomouc. A 14-metre high tree towers above the stands and other attractions. Source: ČTK

The number of children who require mental health intervention is on the rise here in Czechia. Forty percent of ninth graders show moderate signs of depression, and last year data from the Institute of Health indicated that there were over 4,000...

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová visited members of the human rights and educational organization Memorial. After their ban on activities in the Russian Federation, they found refuge in the Prague residence of the...

Scientists in Prague have been measuring the amount of dust that enters people’s lungs on a busy road in the city centre. To do that, they used a special mobile cell incubator with actual human lung cells. The results confirmed that traffic...

According to national statistics, as many as 14% of Czech children experience domestic violence directly or indirectly at some point in their lives and many are left permanently scarred. Shockingly, experts say it often takes up to six years...

Former dissident and Charter 77 signatory Jiří Gruntorád is on the fourth day of his hunger strike outside the seat of the Czech government in Prague. He is calling for the labour and social affairs minister, Marian Jurečka, to resign over his...

Czech-produced Hot Chip Challenge crisps are marketed as extremely hard to consume. Now domestic authorities have halted sales of the chili pepper-based product, following alarm bells in other EU states. Single Hot Chip Challenge crisps are...

Czechia is home to some of the best ice hockey players who have played the game. From Dominik Hašek to Jaromír Jágr, the legacy the country has with the sport is enduring, in fact a Czech player just broke the NHL record for the hardest slap...

“On the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution (17 November 1989) The Embassy’s staff of Georgia to the Czech Republic gathered together with the Ambassador of Georgia to the Czech Republic, H.E. Ms. Tea Maisuradze to honor...

Hangonit Studio is a one-man studio, founded by Vladimír Kudělka, who views his games as art. His two games Rememoried and Afterglitch are connected by the themes of parallel worlds, dreams, with the players floating through virtual...

The Czech national soccer squad secured qualification for next year’s European Championship on Monday with a 3:0 win over Moldova. However, the celebrations were rather dampened when coach Jaroslav Šilhavý announced live on television that he...

Timothy Garton Ash was in Prague last week, presenting the Czech version of his latest book Homelands: A Personal History of Europe. While he was here, the UK historian, who spent time in this region when communism was collapsing, took part in...

Canadian by birth, Don Sparling found a new home in Brno. Among other things, he explains why he prefers living in the second Czech city rather than the capital Prague. Don Sparling first came to what was then Czechoslovakia when the Communist...

In the last episode we heard emeritus professor of Masaryk University in Brno Don Sparling. Among other things, he mentioned why he left Prague for Brno and that he considers the Czech Capital to be very “self-centered”. I agree and I also...

The French travel most often in Europe, making 80% of their trips there. The Czech Republic is very interesting for them, last year more than 213 thousand French tourists came to domestic hotels, apartments, and pensions. Even if the numbers...

Travel tips, calendar of events, or thematic specials of the Kudy z nudy portal, which is operated by the Czech Tourism Office – CzechTourism. Starting this school year, pupils, teachers, and school visitors have all this available on the...

206% more Tourists from South Korea arrived in the Czech Republic than in the same period last year.

This coming Saturday, Czechs all around the country will be celebrating Saint Martin’s Day, which falls on November 11. On this day, Czechs traditionally sample the season’s first wine and sit down to a feast of roast goose, dumplings and...

Since its premiere in 1901, Antonín Dvořák’s most famous opera Rusalka has been staged all over the world. Some of its most recent productions have been quite unorthodox, portraying the water nymph as a prostitute and a heroin addict. See the...

Bohemia Interactive is behind the world-famous Arma series, set in a wartime environment. In their next game, the player fights against zombies. However, the company has a broad portfolio and also offers a game for children in which they can...

Speaking at a security conference in Prague, President Petr Pavel expressed deep concern regarding the disruption of the world order and the increasing assertiveness of revisionist powers and terrorist groups. He said the democratic world must...

The Czech government has moved to freeze Russian state-owned property on Czech territory by placing the company that manages these assets on its national sanctions list. The foreign minister said Prague would strive to get this measure approved...

The 1989 Velvet Revolution, ending over four decades of Communist one-party rule, spelled seismic change for Czech society. Words like restitution and lustration became common parlance in the early 1990s, as the transition to democracy was...

Prague Zoo is launching the sale of gift vouchers for annual tickets as well as an electronic version of this season ticket. Newly, those interested can conveniently arrange it from their computer or mobile phone. The same is the case with the...

A team of researchers and doctors from Ostrava recently demonstrated the presence of microplastics in human amniotic fluid for the first time ever. Prior to this study, it had always been assumed that the placenta would prevent any such...

In 2022, Prague welcomed more than six million tourists to the city, but other parts of the country, regions in Moravia in particular, struggle to lure in visitors. CzechTourism is trying to change this by focussing campaigns on other parts of...

The city of Olomouc lies in the eastern province of Moravia. The sixth biggest city in Czechia with a population of about 100,000 – Olomouc is home to countless historical landmarks and one of the 17 UNESCO sites in the country. Not only...

Five years ago, 85 Olga Havel trees were planted at ceremonial gatherings across the country in honor of her 85th birthday, which at that time did not live long. The Committee of Good Will – Olga Havlová Foundation followed up in the...

The full title of this Czech public holiday is Day of Freedom and Democracy and International Student Day, and it commemorates two significant moments in the country’s history. What events are taking place for those who want to learn more...

Surviving Utoya and Oslo is the title of a new podcast produced by the Czech Radio station Radio Wave. Across seven episodes released in both English and Czech versions, creator Lukáš Houdek speaks to Norwegians who made it through the 2011...

The Ambassador of Mongolia H.E Mr. Gansukh Khashkhan DAMDIN organized an open day program to remake the birthday of the Chinggis Khaan on 14th November 2023, the first day of the winter month of the lunar calendar. H.E Mr. Gansukh Khashkhan...

A dignified memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Bohemia is finally nearing completion. On Monday survivors, activists and politicians symbolically planted the first trees in a forest in Lety that will symbolize the lost Roma...

Under the esteemed patronage of Speaker of the Lower House Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia hosted a thought-provoking seminar at the Czech National Library on November 14, 2023. The half-day event convened a...

Books and libraries are the inspiration for READ, a major new exhibition of works by international and domestic artists at the Kunsthalle Praha gallery. READ is curated by the Berlin-based Scandinavian art duo Elmgreen & Dragset, who also...

The Ore Mountains got their first snow of the year. In Klinovec the snow stayed on the ground and children could build the season’s first snowman. Source: ČTK

The Herzl Center for Israel Studies is a research and teaching institution dedicated to the enhancement of knowledge and awareness about the modern State of Israel. It is the first academic institution in the Czech Republic fully dedicated to...

One of the greatest Czech operas, Jenůfa by Leoš Janáček, is currently being staged at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Jakub Hrůša conducts the orchestra and the international cast features one Czech singer. The piece premiered on Sunday and will...

The Embassy of Japan organized a seminar on the topic of the alcoholic beverage sake in the ambassador’s residence, which was attended by a large number of prominent figures of Czech gastronomy, entrepreneurs from the field of food trade...

The popularity of energy drinks among Czech schoolchildren has been steadily rising in recent years and so have concerns about the dangers of such drinks. The lower house of parliament is currently debating the possibility of introducing...

Danish and Swedish tourism experts, buyers, and key influencers recently cooked in the Czech language in Copenhagen. Under the baton of Kristína Nemčková, the chef of the local Michelin-starred Geranium restaurant. The “Tastes of...

Tomáš Masaryk, the first president of independent Czechoslovakia, married the American Charlotte Garrigue. She had been born to a wealthy and patrician family in Brooklyn, New York. On her father’s side she had ancestors among the French...

Former Czech ice hockey goaltender Roman Čechmánek, Olympic champion from Nagano and three-time world champion, died on Sunday at the age of 52. Čechmánek was a substitute for Dominik Hašek at the Nagano Olympics and won world championship...

Czechia will be introducing a deposit return system on plastic bottles and cans from 2025. The new system means people will no longer sort their drink containers into the large colourful recycling bins that can be seen on almost every street...

The Book of Prague is a collection of short stories by Czech authors that had never before been translated into English. As the title suggests, Prague, with all its different layers and histories, plays a prominent role in the stories. The book...

Rapid industrial development and major social changes at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries increased the number of people suffering from mental illnesses. On November 12, 1903, the Provincial Committee of the Kingdom of Bohemia decided to...

Extremely popular capybaras are returning to the Prague Zoo after years. This Saturday, November 11, at 11 a.m., representatives of the zoo will present them to the public. The capybaras will inhabit the enclosure together with the anthills in...

An expert panel debate on the topic of cooperation within Central Europe took place on November 7, 2023 in the Chamber of Deputies. The debate, which was initiated and opened by the Speaker of the House Markéta Pekarová Adamová, was held in the...

On Sunday, November 12, the traditional Goodwill Benefit Concert for the Goodwill Committee – Olga Havlova Foundation (VDV) will take place. In the concert hall of the church of St. Šimon and Judy will perform in the Old Town, and this...

A team of enthusiasts from Oslavany near Brno are building a replica of a Viking boat from the 12th century. The eight-metre boat is called Gislinge, after the Danish village where the original was discovered, and should be launched in the...

There were more tourists in the 3rd quarter than before the pandemic More tourists visited the Czech Republic in the 3rd quarter of this year than in the pre-Covid 2019 year. Almost 7.9 million of them arrived, of which more than 4.8 million...

Debate is still going on over whether to knock down Prague’s Vyšehrad Railway Bridge. Some interested parties say it may only remain in place if it is expanded from the current two tracks to three. However, the group Nebourat (Don’t Demolish)...

Vincenz Priessnitz, the founder of modern hydrotherapy, was born in the Olomouc Region. He founded a spa near the town of Jeseník that successfully applies his curative methods to this day. Vincenz Priessnitz was the son of a local crofter and...

The NGI Forum 2023, a flagship event of the European Commission’s Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, is set to take place on November 15-16, 2023. With a forward-looking theme, “NGI Forum 2023: Unlocking the Power of Digital...

A new documentary explores the story of the Mašín brothers group, three members of which shot their way from Communist Czechoslovakia to the West in 1953. Escape to Berlin, featuring extensive interviews with the now elderly Josef Mašín and his...

Mapamátky is a Czech association dedicated to popularising Prague’s architecture. As part of their activity, they created a web app motivating people to go outside and explore the city. It originated during the Covid lockdown as a university...

In today’s Sunday music show we’ll be commemorating the great Czech conductor Zdeněk Mácal, who passed away last week at the age of 87. During his long career, Mácal conducted more than 170 major orchestras in four continents, including the...

A group of Czech specialists have teamed up with conservation workers at the Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania to track and study the movement of lions. The team placed trackable collars on selected lions this past October in order to collect...

Bring Them Home Now! is the title of a gathering set for Prague’s Wenceslas Square on Tuesday evening demanding the release of the over 200 hostages still being held by Hamas, exactly a month after its brutal attacks on Israel. Ahead of the...

Visitors to Prague Airport can now see a large and quite stunning 3D portrait of Václav Havel comprised of items associated with him and the Velvet Revolution he led. These include keys, typewriters and even a barrel of beer. The anamorphic...

The annual Gender Equality Index report amongst EU member states was released recently, with Czechia placing 25th out of the 27 EU member states. The report ranks nations based on factors such as power, money, and education to understand the...

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala left Prague on Friday for an eight-day trip to Africa, during which he is visiting the east and west African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Although primarily a trade...

Czech Egyptologists have made another important discovery in Abusir – the roughly 2,500-year-old tomb of a young royal scribe. Together with other recent archaeological finds in the area, this newly discovered tomb gives researchers a better...

Czech scientists are developing a new technology that could help in accidents involving radioactive materials. Called the RaDron, it combines autonomous drones with unique particle detectors, which can expose even unknown sources of radiation...

You can meet them wherever you go in America, from New York in the East, to San Francisco and Los Angeles in the West, from Chicago in the North to Houston and Miami in the South. But it is in the Midwestern states where you can find whole...

How do you bring up children in bilingual and bicultural families? On the one hand, it is potentially a great advantage if the kids get this educational and learning impulse and live in two cultures at the same time. On the other hand, it is...

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský on Monday met for talks with his newly-appointed Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanár from the ruling SMER party, which has indicated a U-turn in the country’s support for Ukraine. The meeting was viewed as an indicator...

The week of the Czech Academy of Sciences started on Monday, commencing six days of programming that presents the latest and most important findings of modern scientific research in Czechia. Around 400 events are taking place in 22 locations...

One of biggest construction projects in Prague at present is the renovation and extension of the city centre Savarin Palace. Behind the 1.7 hectare complex, which should house Alphonse Mucha’s Slav Epic, are developers Crestyl, who are also...

Charles Games incorporates history and social issues into their games. The World War II period appears in Attentat 1942, the pitfalls of modern technology in DigiStories Nela. This makes them good teaching material. “You learn about...

The Egon Schiele Art Centre, one of the most popular attractions in Český Krumlov, first opened its doors in 1993. The Austrian Expressionist painter Egon Schiele died at only 28. However, he spent spells of his short life in the pretty South...

A very strong Aurora borealis brightened the sky above the northern horizon of Czechia on Sunday night. Source:ČTK

You wanted them, so you will have them. Capybaras are coming back to Prague Zoo. Probably the most popular animals in the world at the moment. At least in the world of social networks, where they appear in countless memes with huge numbers of...

The famous male gorilla Richard has lived in the Prague Zoo for 20 years. On Saturday, November 4, two decades will pass since the arrival of the silver-backed founder of the local breeding and the father of all gorilla cubs to date in the...

The Prague Sounds music festival is set to kick off on Tuesday, ushering in more than two weeks of performances, with concerts ranging from classic jazz to hip-hop. On the eve of the event – formerly known as Strings of Autumn – I spoke with...

With a career spanning over two decades, 41-year-old Czech professional ice hockey player Tomáš Plekanec announced his retirement from the game on Saturday evening. Known as ‘Pleky’ by his devoted fans, he spent more than a decade with NHL team...

The Olomouc Region is located in the north-western and central part of Moravia. Spreading over an area of just over 5,000 square kilometers, it is the 6th largest region in the country. The region’s assets include the university town of...

Olga Havlová's fourth Tree was planted in front of the Charity Nový Hrozenkov building on the day of the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia. With this act, the picturesque Wallachian village...

A new study from the FOOD Barometer survey commissioned by the Czech Chamber of Commerce sheds light on how Czechs eat on a daily basis. The study revealed that Czechs are much less guided by the nutritional value of foods, and that while...

For more than 50 years, actor and singer Václav Neckář has been captivating and entertaining radio listeners with his voice. This past weekend, just two days shy of his 80th birthday, Neckář was inducted into the prestigious Czech Radio Hall of...

Developers Penta Real Estate have completed work on the Masaryčka building complex by Prague’s Masaryk railway station. It was designed by the UK’s Zaha Hadid Studios and is regarded as one of the boldest projects of its kind in the Czech...

The new film You Will Never See It All puts the spotlight on Ján Mančuška, a conceptual artist who is not so well-known in his native Czechia despite having works in the collections of Paris’s Pompidou Centre and MOMA in New York. The film...

The award-winning Ukrainian novelist and short story writer Natalia Matolinets is fascinated by the layers of common history shared by the cities of central Europe. She was born and lives in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, which, she says...

A famous London avant-garde sculpture created by Karel Vogel, a Jewish refugee from Czechoslovakia, is set to undergo a major renovation. The concrete figure of a reclining woman, considered to be one of London’s most important pieces of...

A new installation by Czech luxury glass and light firm Lasvit honouring war veterans was recently unveiled in London. The site-specific artwork, called Poppies, was made for the Raffles London hotel, situated in the Old War Office, which...

Czechs have always had somewhat contradictory feelings toward their nobility. One of the country’s leading aristocrats once even bitterly complained that Czechs are either louts or boot-lickers, nothing in between. One of the first laws of the...

Jaw harp, known in Czech as brumle, is an ancient musical instrument that has been played all over the world for centuries. Here in Czechia, it is mostly used in traditional folk music, especially in Moravia, but it has also found its way into...

One of the laureates of the 2023 Gratias Agit awards, handed out by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs to people and organizations for promoting the good name of the Czech Republic abroad, is Jan Marek, a leading expert in the field of...

Together for Israel, was the name of the public gathering organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic (FŽO) in support of the State of Israel and its people. On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, the Old Town Square in the...

Since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 there have been reports of increasing harassment, hate speech and sometimes even physical assaults against members of both Jewish and Muslim communities in countries around the world. So what is...

Halloween often has the reputation of being an imported US holiday in Czechia, but long-term Prague resident Dinah Spritzer wanted to find a way for her half-Czech kids to be able to enjoy trick-or-treating – so she got the idea of making...

There is no main story in Space Engineers. This allows players to have an infinite number of objectives. “Games allow us to create new realities,” says Marek Rosa, founder of Keen Software House. Since its founding, the studio has...

Around 40,000 people turned out to watch the annual fish harvest at the Vrkoč pond in the Brno Region at the weekend. Fish specialties were available for tasting at Vrkoč, one of the country’s biggest fish ponds, producing around 200 tonnes of...