The 19th edition of the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival gets under way this Saturday at the Rudolfinum, bringing together leading orchestras, soloists and conductors from around the world. I spoke to festival director Jan Simon about this year’s programme and what audiences can look forward to, starting with the curtain raiser.

Did he jump or was he pushed? The death of former Czechoslovak foreign minister Jan Masaryk, who fell from his apartment window at Prague’s Černín Palace in 1948, remains unexplained nearly 80 years after his demise. Forensic experts have now exhumed his remains, and a new examination could shed more light on the circumstances of his tragic death.

Recent security incidents in Germany are prompting a response in Czechia. The foreign minister has rejected the Russian ambassador’s characterisation of a drone attack at Leipzig airport, while Czechia has responded to events in neighbouring Germany with increased vigilance.

A previously lost play by Václav Havel, Warning, will soon get its first performance, in connection with the 90th anniversary of his birth. The torso of the piece was found by David Dušek, the grandson of Havel’s friend Zdeněk Urbánek. Indeed, it comes from the same Urbánek estate as Havel texts published in recent years as Notes of the Accused, a 1977 prison diary, and I Hid it Somewhere. Warning was completed by director and actor Jiří Havelka of Prague’s Dejvice Theatre – who describes his involvement.

Václav Bartuška is today Czechia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. He first came to public attention as a student leader during the Velvet Revolution. Soon after he was tasked with investigating Czechoslovakia’s recently deposed StB secret police, a subject the then journalist covered in a best-selling book. More recently, Bartuška served for nearly two decades as the Czech government’s envoy for energy security – and we discussed all of these chapters in his fascinating life at our studios in Prague.

Among the events marking the 90th anniversary of Václav Havel’s birth in October will be the festival Havel ALIVE . Taking place at Prague Castle, it will showcase theatre, film, design and music connected to the late democracy leader.

A new mural has been unveiled on Kostnické Square in Prague’s Žižkov district. Created by Polish artist NeSpoon, it is inspired by traditional Czech lace. Ruth Fraňková went to have a look.

For eight years, professional botanists and enthusiastic amateurs across Czechia have been working on an ambitious project: a comprehensive photographic atlas of the country's wild plants. Around 3,300 plants will be represented by some 10,000 photographs, along with distribution maps and information to help readers identify them. With the final field season now under way, the team hopes to publish the atlas in 2028.

One of Czechia’s best-known religious symbols is heading to Ireland. A specially dressed copy of the Infant Jesus of Prague is being given to the Diocese of Kerry to mark Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

September 1st marks the start of a new school year in Czechia, and for many parents, that means driving their children to school every morning, adding to already busy roads. The Pěšky do školy, or Walk to School, campaign is trying to change that by encouraging children to walk, cycle, use scooters, or public transport.