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The NGO People in Need is active in more than 30 countries the world over, giving immediate aid in humanitarian crises, helping communities threatened by malnutrition, helping the poor to find a livelihood, fighting violence against women and helping give children an education. One of its successful fundraising projects is Give a Real Gift which motivates thousands of people to think of those less fortunate not only during the Christmas season. I spoke with Jan Svitalek of People in Need and began by asking him to explain the NGO’s Real Gift

When was the last time your senses deceived you? Now you have the chance to put them all to the test in the newly-opened Museum of Senses In Prague. The museum is a playful world where nothing around you is what it seems. I went along to see the attractions and was given a guided tour by Primož Kolarič who began by telling me how the idea to open such a museum arose.

Brno is cool again. The second city of the Czech Republic is finally shedding its somewhat shabby image and finding healthy self-confidence. Its streets are filling with smart shops and there is a lot to do and see. As our reporter Vít Pohanka found out it is definitely a place worth visiting.

Jakub Mertl and his wife Kristyna who run a successful personalized dating agency, recently made headlines by establishing an online dating agency catering specially to disabled people. I met with Jakub to talk about his work and what it takes to find love. He started by telling me what made him and his wife consider setting up a special online service for disabled clients.

The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) established in 1999 by the Council of Europe to monitor member states’ compliance with the organization’s anti-corruption standards, is currently holding a two-day conference in Prague. Its aim is to highlight the main trends and the lessons learned from GRECO’s Fourth Evaluation Round of the Czech Republic’s anti-corruption drive.

Ježíšek’s grandchildren ( Santa’s grandchildren) is the name of a nationwide charity project launched by Czech Radio. It aims to bring a smile to the faces of abandoned, elderly, people who have no family and friends to cheer them up. The aim is to encourage members of the public to grant these people a wish as a special Christmas gift in a scheme that should interconnect generations and revive the true spirit of Christmas. I spoke to Marietta Prajslerová, one of the project organizers at Czech Radio, about what it involves and how the idea

The traditional parties on the Czech political scene arte still stinging from the defeat they suffered in the general elections at the hands of anti-establishment and protest parties. What made Czechs throw the traditional parties overboard in favour of the Pirates, the nationalist Freedom and Direct Democracy Party and, most of all, place their trust in the leader of the ANO party, Andrej Babiš, who was recently charged with EU subsidy fraud?

The Czech NGO Brontosauri v Himalájích has been helping the village of Mulbekh, in Little Tibet, for ten years now. Attention is focused around the local primary school which has grown from strength to strength. Czech volunteers are engaged in a wide variety of activities, the latest project being to teach the children of Mulbekh to play hockey. I spoke to Jiří Sázel from the NGO about how he has helped the children of Mulbekh and what he has gained in return.

Karina Movsesjan, a high school student from the Czech Republic, received one of the first three prizes in the EU Contest for Young Scientists established by the European Commission. Karina won the award for her research project “The role of RAD51 mutations in cancer development” for which she has already picked up prizes in the Czech Republic and the United States.

In the debate about climate change, climate is often seen as the given – the main factor that is impacting nature and, of course, people. But, it’s a two way street with scientists increasingly aware of how local and regional changes are dramatically changing local environmental conditions and plants and animals as well. And that was the main theme as a host of Czech experts were brought together by the Czech Academy of Science in Prague this week.