Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

Recently in Bratislava, the city opened Loom, a center for people of foreign origin living in Slovakia. In addition to basic info, foreigners can find social, psychological, legal and employment counselling, in addition to finding community activities. Ben Pascoe visited the center to find out more.

Weekly roundup of news and stories from RSI English.

September 12th marks the name day of Mária in the Slovak calendar. To celebrate the occasion, Martina Greňová Šimkovičová asks: which Slovak Mária do you know? As part of our cultural tips for English speakers at home and abroad, Marek Soltis invites you to the 47th Slovak Heritage Festival in New Jersey. Other cultural highlights include the Cinematik Film Festival in Piešťany, Džem Festival in Košice, Amplión Festival in Banská Štiavnica, and the World Music Festival Bratislava, among others.

Do you know the genre World Music? It blends classical musical traditions with modern elements, creating something that feels both new and yet familiar. Which Slovak bands have made their mark on the global World Music scene? Radio FM editor Vladimír Potančok, who has been following this topic for years, will tell us more — and he'll also invite you to the 10th edition of the World Music Festival in Bratislava, taking place in the capital at the end of September. In the second part of the show, we'll once again look at a personality whose name you can also find on Slovak street signs. This time, the spotlight will be on the storyteller Pavol Dobšinský.

In the next episode of our Window to the World series, we'll visit the Slovak town of Bojnice – famous for its beautiful castle and zoo – and the Italian town of Rosta to explore their partnership and shared activities. Later, we'll take you to a unique event, LingvaFest, a festival that brings together language lovers and polyglots from near and far.

Ben Pascoe meets the organizers of two upcoming events aimed at helping everyone better enjoy Slovakia. Director of the Milan Simecka foundation, Veronika Fishbone Vlčková, introduces the 20th edition of Fjuzn festival. Illah van Oijen one of the founders and organizers of Dobry Trh lets us know what we can look forward to at the fall edition.

The eighth episode of the Window to the World series takes us to the historic Slovak town of Banská Štiavnica. From there, we travel nearly 1,000 kilometers west to its twin town, Hünenberg, in Switzerland's canton of Zug. Along the way, we'll explore how the two towns have built a lasting partnership — through cooperation in areas such as social support, education, music, and even waste management. The new episode of Slovak Sound Check takes you through a full day in Slovak — from getting up in the morning to going to bed at night — while covering some useful verbs and handy grammar tips along the way.

Week in Slovakia. Window to the World: Bojnice - Rosta.

Gigi Green sat down with Syrian musician Lara Abou Hamdan, who moved to Slovakia at 18 and has since made her mark on the local music scene. In their conversation, Lara reflects on her upbringing in Syria, her journey to Slovakia, and how she bridges cultures through her music. Looking for cultural events this weekend and next week? Don't miss what's happening in Devín, Rača, Gelnica, Prešov, and beyond.

Today we'll take you to the final stop in our Diaspora on the Airwaves series — this time to the Vatican, where, surprisingly, you can also hear broadcasts in Slovak. In the second part of the program, we'll turn to our series Who Was That and introduce you to the Evangelical pastor Samuel Zoch. We'll look at his life story and the important role he played in Slovak history.

In September 2021, Pope Francis made his first—and only—visit to Slovakia. Despite strict COVID-19 restrictions, thousands of Slovaks traveled across the country for a chance to see the beloved pontiff. Among them were filmmakers Stanislav Piatrik and Mária Piatriková, who documented the historic visit through powerful footage and interviews with notable Slovaks. Their work culminated in the new documentary Návšteva (The Visit). In the first half of this episode, we sit down with the directors to discuss the significance of Pope Francis's visit and their experimental approach to storytelling. In the second half, we continue our series Diaspora on the Airwaves, exploring Slovak media abroad—this time from Szeged, Hungary.

Eating disorders have long been a problem. After covid, with so much social media it seems they are more prevelant and problematic than ever. Eating disorders are not just the problem of young girls, unfortunately they don't discriminate and can affect anyone, even someone close to us. Ben Pascoe sat down with Veronika Kolejáková a psychologist from Chuť žiť, an organization dedicated to helping anyone suffering from an eating disorder. (re-run)

On Constitution Day, we bring you an interview with Marián Giba, head of the Department of Constitutional Law at Comenius University in Bratislava. Together, we look at the strengths and weaknesses of Slovakia's Constitution, its frequent amendments, the role of the Constitutional Court, and how politics and ideology shape constitutional debates. As the Slovak Constitution turns 33, we ask: how should we understand and protect this cornerstone of democracy today? And since September 1st also marks the first day of the new school year in Slovakia, our Slovak Sound Check language segment takes us into the classroom. We'll learn essential school vocabulary and discover how Slovak adjectives change depending on gender.

Diaspora on the Airwaves - part 8. Slovak Sound Check. Slovak music.

On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), Martina Greňová Šimkovičová visits the SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica, while Kerstin Plaschke Jakubik speaks with the daughter of Anton Ivan Szekely, the uprising's only official photographer. The program will also feature music from the time of the rebellion.

In today's programme, we bring you the seventh part of the series Diaspora on the Airwaves, this time dedicated to Ukraine. Afterwards, we'll look at the life and work of theatre artist Andrej Bagar and also talk about the theatre in Nitra that bears his name.

A re-run of some of the interviews published in the previous years by our colleague Kamila Galjuš.

Ben Pascoe talks with former MP, MEP and founder of political party SMER, Boris Zala. They discuss how and why SMER was formed, how it has changed over the years and how Slovakia in the 1990's has an influence on Slovakia today.

For the sixth installment of our summer mini-series Diaspora on the Airwaves — originally produced by Ingrid Slaninková from RSI's Slovak section — we head to the Austrian city of Eisenstadt to meet Mirka Špring and Monika Caudr, members of the editorial team behind the local Slovak radio programme Rádio Dia:tón and the TV show Czech and Slovak Echoes. In their native language, they spotlight the achievements and stories of the Slovak community living in the region. In Episode 15 of Slovak Sound Check, we make counting in Slovak simple — no math degree required.

Diaspora on the Airwaves - 7th round. Liptovská Mara dam and its hidden histories. Slovak Sound Check

On the 57th anniversary of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion, Martina Greňová Šimkovičová reflects on the memories of those who were in their twenties at the time, filled with hopes for a better future. Radio broadcasts played a crucial role during those days when tanks rolled through the streets of former Czechoslovakia. The bravery of radio workers is commemorated by a plaque in Bratislava's Primatial Square, installed in 2018. Valuable radio recordings, collected by Boris Koreň, further enrich the narrative.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Liptovská Mara dam. On one hand, the reservoir offers numerous opportunities for recreation, water sports, or relaxing by the water with views of the Tatras. On the other hand, this water reservoir on the Váh River also carries the story of 13 villages and their inhabitants who lost their homes due to its construction. I discussed this darker side of Liptovská Mara with writer Zuzana Líšková, author of the radio play From the Bottom of the Liptov Sea. We will stay in the Liptov region in the second part of the program, where we explore the story of Liptovský Mikuláš native, writer Mária Rázusová-Martáková.

This year, Mira Tus Manos — the solo project of Argentine producer Cristian Estrella — released a new album titled The Future Sounds of Slovakia. The record journeys through Slovakia's rich folkloric traditions and regional cultures, but with a modern twist. Each expansive track, created in collaboration with musicians from around the globe, fuses traditional Slovak sounds with diverse influences from world music. In this episode, we dive into The Future Sounds of Slovakia and its companion film Medzi dolinami, Medzi vrski with Cristian Estrella. Together, we'll explore how cross-cultural collaboration shapes music across borders — and uncover what astronauts and the ancient Slovak flute, the fujara, have in common.

Ben Pascoe talks with former Slovak Minister of Finance and architect of the flat tax in Slovakia, Ivan Miklos, to discuss the not so distant past so we can better understand how we got to Slovakia today.

In today's episode of Slovakia Today, our colleague Gigi Ann Green takes us inside "Za Hranice s Hudbou" (Beyond Borders with Music), a summer workshop bringing together young musicians to explore jazz and contemporary genres. From harmony and vocal courses to late-night jam sessions, she also talks with co-founders Ester Wiesnerová and Lenka Molčányiová about music education in Slovakia, the challenges artists face, and their vision for inspiring a new generation of Slovak talent. We'll also mark Serendipity Day — Aug 18th — by celebrating life's unexpected joys with music, and bring you the latest Slovak Sound Check, where we broaden our Slovak vocabulary with Lubna.

We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.

In this exclusive interview in English, the best Slovak female coach, Natália Hejková, talks about her career in Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Russia and Spain.

Today you are going to hear another round of our competition series Mysterious Slovakia – this time dedicated to the life and legacy of Rabbi Chatam Sofer. Then you will find out what is new on the Slovak culture scene and finally there is another episode of Who Was That – this time dedicated to Ján Palárik.

A re-run of some of the interviews published in the previous years by our colleague Kamila Galjuš.

The 45th edition of the Kremnicky Gagy European Festival of humour and satire will take place at the end of August in Kremnica. To find out more about this unique, world famous festival Brielle Zahn met with organizer Veronika Chrienova and Ben Pascoe talked with performers Tomas Hudak and Michal Hvorecky.

This week, we bring you the sounds and stories from the magical meadow of Hontianske Nemce, where every August, people of all generations gather for one of Slovakia's most charming summer festivals — Atmosféra 2025. Here, music, community, and nature come together in a unique celebration of life, creativity, and connection. In this special broadcast, we explore this year's theme, “Zažnime od seba” (“Let's ignite from within”), through voices from across the festival: Grétka Pavlovová, the heart and mind behind Atmosféra, musicians Lasky (Para), Jureš (Fallgrapp), and Martin Geišberg, Tomáš Bartoněk from Rádio Junior and the world of kids' programming, Žaneta Morovská, bringing light, love, and connection to the meadow, and Zdenko and Ema, long-time volunteers sharing what makes Atmosféra feel like home. The new episode of Slovak Sound Check dives into essential vocabulary for getting around and asking for directions in Slovak.

We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.

In July 2023, internationally praised Tate Modern display of Maria Bartuszova artworks moved to The Museum der Moderne Salzburg. On this occasion, RSI gets back to the interviews with gallerist Alison Jaques and the curator of the show in Tate Modern, Juliet Bingham. Zuzana is the name that can be found in Slovak calendars on 11 August. On this occasion, we once again present to you some of the mostly recognised women named Zuzana.

Another episode of Window to the World series - this time connecting French city of Calais with Slovak town of Bardejov. Who Was That series: Anton Bernolák.

The 31st annual IFF Art Film Košice took place from June 20 to 27, showcasing 130 films from around the world. As we mentioned in the first part of our report, the festival draws film lovers from far and wide—not only for its international lineup, but also for its vibrant cultural atmosphere. But what truly sets Art Film apart isn't just the diversity of its screenings. It's the platform it offers: a rare opportunity for Slovak artists of all disciplines to present their work alongside some of the world's most acclaimed filmmakers. It's a one-of-a-kind event—unmatched anywhere else in Slovakia. In this episode, we'll be speaking with some of these Slovak creators. From red carpet premieres and autograph sessions to quiet, thoughtful conversations in the park, we'll show you how Art Film Košice is much more than just movies.

The Swords to Slovakia bike team rode into Bratislava to raise funds and awareness for Down syndrome centers in both countries. Ben Pascoe talked with them about their trek across Europe. Kulturne Leto or cultural summer in coming to an end, Ben talked with the Director or BKIS, Katarina Hulikova about what we can look forward to this August.

A tribute to Slovakia's golden voice — in life, in legend, and now on the big screen. As excitement builds around the new film about Karol Duchoň, we bring you the story of one of Slovakia's most beloved singers — a powerful voice and gentle soul who touched generations. Through rare archival recordings, new film interviews, and heartfelt memories from those who knew him best, this special traces Duchoň's meteoric rise, his private struggles, and the timeless legacy now revived for a new generation. Featuring voices from film director Peter Bebjak, actor Vladimír Plevčík, lyricist Ľuboš Zeman, longtime collaborators Marcela Laiferová and Pavol Hammel, his first wife Elena Duchoňová, Karol Duchoň himself – and more. The new episode of Slovak Sound Check dives into essential vocabulary for getting around and asking for directions in Slovak.

We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.

Hawaii - Havaj - revisit with us a place in the USA and in Slovakia

In today's program, Gigi Green explores the ambient narratives of resistance, rights, and visibility that resonated through the 15th Dúhový – Rainbow – Pride in Bratislava. Later, Romana Grajcarová examines how these same values echo within Slovakia's Vietnamese community in an interview with artist Kvet Nguyen.

A re-run of some of the interviews published in the previous years by our colleague Kamila Galjuš.

July is Pride month. Ben Pascoe visited Bratislava duhovy pride and reports from there. He also talked with the organizers of the pride in the family march (Hrdi na rodinu).