In the Wednesday edition of the Slovakia Today programme, we bring you several interviews with professors, education experts, and other attendees of an international conference organized by the Centre for Languages and Cultures of National Minorities at Prešov University, titled Minority Languages and Education in Slovakia: History, Current Status, and Perspectives. The guests discuss the importance of linguistic and social aspects of education in students' mother tongues, which often is not Slovak if they come from different ethnic background.

The State of Slovakia Today. Ben Pascoe sits down with political scientist and former presidential advisor on foreign affairs, Jana Kozbova. They discuss Slovakia’s foreign policy, the difference between head of state and foreign minister and how the future looks for Slovak foreign policy.

In this show, Patka is going to talk about one of the less discussed issues in Slovakia, the pay gaps between men and women in Slovakia, connecting it to a global initiative Equal Pay Day.

The Interview: Marek Šulík, the filmmaker behind the film Ms President about the presidential mandate of the first female Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová. Martin Bednárik asks the director what was the making of the film like, what secrets about the presidential mandate of Zuzana Čaputová will the audience learn, and if Zuzana Čaputová liked the film after it was done. And – why is the film about the first Slovak female President important for the Slovak society?

Martin and Patka discuss some up to date topics in Slovakia, talk about the All Saints Day and recomment some related places and also events to visit.

In the first segment, we’ll take a journey to the filming locations of iconic horror movies shot in Slovakia, unraveling the terrifying tales behind the scenes. In the second segment, we’ll uncover the mysterious folklore and haunted legends of Slovakia, from cursed castles to ghostly apparitions. This show will transport you into the heart of Slovak horror, both real and fictional.

In September, the NGO Živica, which specializes in educational initiatives, hosted its third annual Hura Von festival at the Zaježová education center. Hura Von is a program dedicated to helping teachers use the outdoors as an ideal learning environment. Through a range of workshops and discussions, the festival attendees—primarily teachers—gained new methods to use with their students.

RSI attended the event to speak with organizers, participants, and teachers about Hura Von and its mission of promoting outdoor education. Additionally, we explored the Eco-school program, which supports schools in becoming more environmentally friendly, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Ben Pascoe sits down with former MP and MEP for Smer-SD Boris Zala to discuss the state of Slovakia today as well as one year of the Fico IV government and the future of Slovakia.

The first part of today’s show is dedicated to one of the legends of Slovak film, Marián Labuda, who, today, the 28th of October, would turn 80 years old. Today, you are going to learn that his career went far beyond acting in front of the camera. In the second part, we will follow up on last week's topic about the state of extremism in Slovakia. The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic provided us with statements regarding the current development of extremism in Slovakia, as well as the goals with which it plans to fight this problem.

What was the week like in Slovakia? News overview and picks of the week with Martin Bednárik. And the first part of our new Women in Science series.