Radio Prague International - latest articles

Prague’s recently opened Lumia Gallery offers the largest audio-visual light exhibition of its kind in Central Europe, featuring various installations such as a mirror labyrinth or a kaleidoscopic cinema. Its creators promise that the interactive light exhibits, that stretch over 800 square metres of space, will provide a unique experience by confusing visitors’ senses.

Hannah Nepilová is a British classical music journalist with Czech roots who has written for Gramophone, The Times, and BBC Music Magazine, among many other well-known publications. Her passion for classical music is something she wants to pass on to the next generation and so began a side project – putting together bedtime stories for children which are narrated and accompanied by pieces of classical music. Her latest, The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, is set to music by Janáček – and she is planning more editions with Czech music or stories. I started by asking her where she got the idea for classical music bedtime stories from in the first place.

The Czech journalist and manager Pavel Pecháček has died in the United States at the age of 82. He joined the Czechoslovak section of Radio Free Europe after emigrating in the wake of the Soviet-led invasion and – after a stint at Voice of America – later became head of the station.

Czech scientists have developed a unique inhalable drug, which could help patients with Covid. Until now, it has only been available in solid form and has been used to treat other diseases. The liquid form of the drug, which is administered through an inhaler, is now undergoing clinical trials.

The Bohemian Switzerland National Park was one of the most beautiful corners of the Czech Republic. Last summer, however, it was ravaged by a devastating wildfire. Within a broad debate on restoring the region, there is controversy about whether people should let nature take its course or if they should help by replanting as many trees as soon as possible.

A team of Czech scientists say that they have discovered a parasite with a uniquely chaotic gene structure unreadable to viruses. Their research has since been published in the prestigious science journal Nature. The team believes its findings could also help treat human diseases in the future.

This week people have the rare opportunity to view the authentic Bohemian crown jewels which have been put on display at St. Vitus Cathedral along with a sacred relic – the scull of St. Wenceslas, the nation’s patron saint. They are being displayed on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the modern Czech state.

On 16 January 1969, Czech student Jan Palach set himself on fire on Prague’s Wenceslas Square in protest against apathy in the wake of the Soviet occupation of his country. He died three days later. Fifty-four years on, his actions are still relevant, says speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and leader of the TOP 09 party, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

Right after coming second in round one of elections to the Czech presidency, Andrej Babiš attacked his rival for the post, Petr Pavel, referring to the latter’s alleged communist-era intelligence training. Mr. Babiš later released billboards implying the former army chief could lead Czechs to war. But how likely is this aggressive approach to succeed? I spoke to political scientist Petr Just.

Unlike the vast majority of the Westerners who moved to Prague in the “Wild East” days of the early 1990s, Paul Dubsky was still in his teens at the time. However, the Irishman wasted no time in getting in on the action and started his first business while still at school. Dubsky, who I myself have known for many years, is now preparing a new project. It’s his own brand of whiskey, linked to writer James Joyce, and will be released in limited quantities over nearly two decades. It also has a Czech connection.