Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

Slovakia's biggest theatre festival Dotyky a spojenia celebrates its 20th edition this June, running from the 16th to the 21st in the city of Martin. Since its founding, the festival has become a vital platform for showcasing the diversity and innovation of Slovak theatre — from established national institutions to independent companies and emerging artists. Find out more in the interview with Róbert Mankovecký, composer, dramaturge, artistic director of Slovenské komorné divadlo in Martin, and one of the festival's founding members. The new episode of Slovak Sound Check is designed to ease the early struggles of learning Slovak.

In this Sunday edition of Slovakia Today, we will present the third part of the Window to the World cycle introducing the pair of the twin cities Bratislava and Kyiv. Next, we play for you some music by various Slovak Romani folk dulcimer bands such as Peter Balogh Orchestra (eastern Slovakia), Manuša (western Slovakia), The Alexander Daško Dulcimer Band (central Slovakia), and Ďusi Band (eastern Slovakia).

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

Masked officials, accompanied by the Culture Ministry's Chief-of-Staff, removed a bust of Cecilia Gonzaga from the Spiš Museum, prompting legal concerns from opposition MPs. Art historian Marta Herucová links the work to Donatello. The Days of Early Music festival opened with a performance by the acclaimed Sollazzo Ensemble. Founder Anna Danilevskaia spoke about the rare Leuven Chansonnier pieces featured in the Bratislava concert. This week's cultural highlights include visual art exhibitions in Bratislava and Trnava, along with festivals taking place across Slovakia.

In the programming, we will revisit an interview with Tomáš Eštok in which we'll explore Spare Parts Theatre, an independent theatre group bringing English-language plays to audiences in Slovakia. Then you are going to hear the second episode of RSI series Window to the World – this time we will visit Slovak town of Michalovce and Spanish town Vila-Real. And finally, we will take a look at who Vávro Šrobár was and why he is important for Slovakia.

In this episode of Slovakia Today, we take you to the heart of Trenčín—a city with a mighty hockey legacy and a school that's been nurturing future stars for generations. As Slovakia marks 60 years of student and sports education at one of its most storied institutions, we explore how this small city has produced some of the country's biggest hockey names. But with Slovakia finishing 12th at the 2025 IIHF World Championship and fewer players reaching the NHL, the question arises: what's changed, and where is Slovak hockey headed? We speak with local legends like Stanley Cup champion Marián Gáborík, a headmaster who believes in the power of sports-integrated education, and a veteran coach guiding today's youth through new challenges. Along the way, we hear from young players navigating the demands of school, training, and rising costs. This report digs into what it takes to build elite talent in modern Slovakia—and whether the next generation has what it takes to bring the country back to the top of the hockey world.

Bratislava recently hosted the 4th international hobby horsing competition. Ben Pascoe attended and talked with organizers, participants and parents about this fast growing new sport.

Currently, 1,648 people in Slovakia are living with HIV. In 2024 alone, 63 new cases have been diagnosed. While proper treatment can ensure the virus poses no risk to others, including partners, societal stigma remains strong. Many people, including medical professionals, still lack sufficient knowledge about what it truly means to be HIV positive. Find out more in the interview with HIV/AIDS Slovensko director Ján Koller and deputy director Miroslav Krajčoviech. Another epiode of Slovak Sound Check is waiting for you, too.

In this Sunday's music segment, Patrik Sabo showcases an exhibition of unique instruments featured as part of the Days of Early Music festival in Bratislava. Meanwhile, in the 5th round of the RSI competition, Martina Greňová Šimkovičová takes you on a journey to the northern Slovak region of Kysuce, uncovering the mystery behind the local spherical stones.

A look back at the week's headlines and some of our reports.

The Bratislava Declaration was adopted last week in the Slovak capital, calling on the European Union to draft a European Act on Artistic Freedom—a legal framework designed to protect freedom of expression, creative independence, and the autonomy of cultural institutions across member states. The Days of Early Music festival kicks off in Bratislava on June 6 with a special concert by the Sollazzo ensemble, featuring a selection from one of the rarest late Gothic manuscripts—the Leuven Chansonnier. Culture tips this week include, e.g., a public reading of Irena Brežná's The Thankless Foreigner at SSEES in London.

In today's episode, we begin with Andrea Froncová from the BROZ conservation association, who highlights the crucial role of wetlands in protecting biodiversity. Later in the show, we look at the life and legacy of Prof. Jozef Čabelka, a pioneering Slovak micrometallurgist and welding expert.

A re-run of two previously published interviews with the producer Ada Solomon who visited Slovakia during the 2025 FEBIO Fest in Bratislava and the frontman Ady Hnát from the metal-core band Etterna based in Prešov, eastern Slovakia, who has won the 2024 RadioeHead Awards in the "Hard and Heavy" category.

Ben Pascoe talks with Juraj Rizman from Post Bellum about how they help maintain the nation's memory and about his most recent visit to Ukraine.

Reintroducing Slovak musician Lotta through her music with KEXP's Kevin Cole. Shortly after the Rose festival in Dolna Krupa, western Slovakia, we map the world famous cultivars that were bred in Krupina, central Slovakia.

Second episode of the Okno do sveta or Window to the world series. Listeners tribune and Slovak music from Zemplín region.

Weekly news digest combined with some of the stories from the past week.

The first novel ever written in the territory of present-day Slovakia has just been released in its first English translation. Martina Greňová Šimkovičová speaks with Dobrota Pucherová, one of the editors of René, or: A Young Man's Adventures and Experiences. Meanwhile, Veronika Ščepánová explains the difference between masculine and feminine nationality names to Sean from Ireland. This week's culture tips highlight the Days of Early Music festival and the Open Parks and Gardens Day.

In this interview, Romana Grajcarová speaks with Slovak triathlete Nikola Čorbová, the first woman ever to win Himalayan Xtri. Čorbová reflects on this historic achievement—conquering one of the most demanding endurance races in the world—and shares what it took to prepare both physically and mentally for such an extreme challenge.

In Slovakia, research is underway both in laboratories and even on farms, as scientists work to better understand and combat infectious diseases. One of the most prominent figures in this effort is Dr. Boris Klempa, a virologist at the Institute of Virology within the Biomedical Research Center at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. In our conversation, we discussed his work on zoonotic viruses in Slovakia and beyond, the role of the European Virus Archive, and the ongoing challenge of combating misinformation in science and public health.

Continuing with interviews from the Start with Children summit recently held in Bratislava. Today Ben Pascoe talks with keynote speaker Eva Kail from Vienna and Sandra Stasselova from the Bratislava Metropolitan Institute. Also Tomas Peciar from cykloloalicia tells us about critical mass and kidical mass.

RERUN Project Disconnect aims to comprehensively and interdisciplinaryly explore loneliness and social isolation in Slovakia. In this show, we are going to talk to researcher and doctor from Psychiatric Clinic at the Slovak Medical University, Jakub Januška.

Patrícia Polakovičová is coming to you with the first part of STVR cycle Okno do sveta and plays some music.

Weekly news digest followed by some of the topical stories of the past week.

Professor Jozef Šuvada, Slovakia's representative in the WHO Executive Board, explains what it means that Slovakia abstained form the WHO Pandemic Agreement. Culture tips invite to Night of Churches, Circus l'Art and BRaK among other events. Veronika and Sean dive into another Slovak phrases usefull for English speakers.

In the interview with Andrea Froncová, we discussed biodiversity and a new project called EMYS, which focuses on biotope restoration and the protection of the European pond turtle, in celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity.

In this episode of the Slovakia Today programme, we bring you the interview with the founder and manager of the Slovak Theatre in London Simona Vrabcová and her colleague and co-manager Rebeka Jurčacková about its history, activities and future. Next up are two young filmmakers from eastern Slovakia Matúš Chovanec and Adam Šoltés sharing their insights about shooting their upcoming feature "City of Dreams" in one of the largest Romani settlements in Slovakia.

Bratislava played host to the international summit Start with Children. Experts from around the country and the world met to discuss how thinking about children when planning cities can make them better places for everyone to live.

Recent data from Eurostat show that over 14% of Slovak population lives on the poverty line. In this show, we are going to explore the problem of growing poverty in Slovakia. You are also going to hear from experts: sociologist from SAV Zuzana Kusá and trade unionist, activist and analyst Ján Košč from initiative Pracujúca chudoba.

Jeremy Hill reads some lettres from listeners and plays some music for you.

Slovakia Today takes a look back at the past week. The biggest headlines and highlights from our reports.

Famous Irish playwright Marina Carr dropped by Bratislava for a masterclass at the New Drama Festival. She chatted with Martina Greňová Šimkovičová about what it's like seeing her plays in translation. Our regular Slovak culture tips for foreigners will take you from Cannes and Sao Paulo to Lučenec, Banská Bystrica, and Bratislava. And don't miss the next episode of our Slovak language course with Veronika Ščepánová!

Majka Reviľáková and Miška Vlasáková, founders of the ALKA project, talk about the process of including vulnerable children in everyday life at school and within their communities. Soňa Spáčilová presents the exhibition “Zmysel to má aj bez zmyslov”, which helps children and young people better understand the lives of people with disabilities.

As many tourists and foreign residents have discovered, Slovakia is much more than its charming capital, Bratislava. From villages adorned with mysterious folk symbols to castles perched above deep valleys and trails leading into the rocky heights of the Tatras, the country is full of hidden gems. For those curious to explore beyond Slovakia's well-known destinations, we're launching a new travel series called Country Roads. In this first episode, we take you to Trenčianske Teplice, a picturesque village renowned for its healing thermal waters. We'll show you not only the many ways to relax and unwind, but also the wide range of recreational activities—from hiking and biking to historical tours and cultural events. With this guide, you'll have everything you need to plan your next unforgettable trip to discover the wonders of Slovakia.

Ben Pascoe visits the spring edition of Dobry Trh, the good market, and shares with you the sounds and feelings that make the event so unique and special.

May 2nd, 2025 marked the 30th anniversary of Dežo Ursíny's passing. This radio show looks at the life and work of this Slovak musical legend, filmmaker, and thinker. With the help of his son Jakub Ursiny, poet Ivan Štrpka, film producer Marián Urban and music journalist Marián Jaslovský we explore what made him so special. From his early music to his deep, personal films, Dežo Ursiny's art still speaks to people today and his legacy remains.

Sundays are about Slovak music and listener's letters. This time also edicated to Mother's Day.

Week in Slovakia

Leopold Lahola was an acclaimed Slovak filmmaker who fled Czechoslovakia in 1949. His only collection of short stories, The Last Thing, is unsettling in the extreme situations in which his characters find themselves during the Second World War. A selection of them has recently been published in English translation, secured by Julia and Peter Sherwood. In this interview, Julia also introduces Alfonz Bednár's "Hours and minutes", an iconic piece of Slovak anti-war literature that has also just been published in English translation of David Short. Later on, Veronika Ščepánová is starting a new Slovak language course for foreigners. The programme concludes with some tips on cultural events suitable for English speakers.

In today's program, you'll hear an interview with historian Anna Hájková about her book People Without History Are Dust: Queer Desire in the Holocaust, as well as a conversation with historian Peter Šumichrast about the Second World War.

In this episode, we will bring you two previously-run interviews with the director of the East Slovak Gallery in Košice Dorota Kenderová and Miroslav Kleban, the curator of Rudolf Dzurko's exhibition titled Only with Me Can You Hear the Grass Grow. We will also revisit the interview with Barbora Botošová, a Romani violinist coming from Slovakia, about her newest record Roshambo and her views on the Slovak music scene.

It is spring in Slovakia, which means it is time for the world championship of hockey. To discuss the national sport of Slovakia Ben Pascoe sat down with Slovak Radio sports journalist Martin Kaigl.

RERURN: Eva Mosnáková was not only a holocaust survivor, but also a long-standing figther against extremism. Even in her old age she invested a lot of time in discussions with younger generations about war, holocaust and extremism. She died in December 2024 aged 95 years old. And what is her message for the next generations and how to people remeber her? We talked to Madeline Vadkerty, Andrej Bán a Soňa Gyarfášová.

Sunday show presenting the winner of the third round of the "Mysterious Slovakia" competition, annoucing the fourth round, and introducing the artists on the Slovak music scene that come from the third largest city in Slovakia, Prešov.

Overview of news and stories RSI brought to you over the past week.

Martina Greňová Šimkovičová takes a trip down memory lane as she recalls the days when Slovakia joined the European Union.

Today we explore the history and symbolism of May 1st in Slovakia, from its socialist-era significance as Labour Day to its roots in international workers' movements.We will also look at traditional Slovak customs such as Maypole-raising, which continue to bring communities together today.

In recent years, international relations have faced a series of setbacks. Yet amid the challenges, there have been encouraging examples of how people from diverse backgrounds and cultures can come together to share, learn, and collaborate. One such example is the project Trebo – Culture Connects. RSI traveled to Trenčín to meet with organizers from both Slovakia and Norway, discussing the successes of this unique partnership over the past year between two distant but cooperative nations. Later in the program, we speak with Robin Rigg from the Slovak Wildlife Society about the recent rise in bear encounters and the government's controversial plan to address the issue through a mass culling. Will this strategy be effective—and is it even necessary?

For the 15th year the artists and artisans at Nova Cvernovaka will open their doors to the public and there will be a day full of programs. On 10th May will be the spring edition of Dobry Trh. Ben Pascoe talked with Laco Oravec and Boris Meluš from Nova Cvernovka about the history of the institution and what we can expect this first of May. Illah van Oijen and Barbara Zavarská from Dobry Trh introduce the theme of this year's market as well as talk about community building.

This Monday show will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Centre of Folk Art Production (ÚĽUV) in Slovakia. The discussion will feature Eva Ševčíková, the General Director of ÚĽUV, and Milena Holánová, the Director of the Regional Crafts Center of ÚĽUV in Bratislava. They will share insights on the institute's important role in preserving and promoting Slovak folk art and crafts, as well as its impact on contemporary cultural heritage.

Sundays are about Slovak music and listener's letters.