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A few miles away from the centre of Glasgow, in the west of the city, is where you will find Glasgow University, a huge campus with around 20,000 students. Our destination today is the Slavonic Studies department at its School of Modern Languages and Cultures. It runs courses Czech studies and the Czech language, and has been doing so for over 50 years. Here's lecturer Jan Culik on the man who set the ball rolling:

Jaroslava Moserova, who died from cancer on 24th March at 76, was one of the most widely respected Czech public figures. Following the fall of communism, she became well known for her work as a diplomat and then as a prominent Czech politician. With her perfect English, learned as a teenager in the United States just after the Second World War, she was often interviewed by Radio Prague. One little known aspect of her work in recent years was in UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, where she was appointed

For many Czechs, the communist-era TV series "The Thirty Cases of Major Zeman" still leaves a bad taste, a reminder of some of the uglier excesses of the former regime. The series, largely ideological propaganda, followed the adventures of Zeman, a detective hard at work to uproot subversive and apparently criminal elements opposed to the Communist state. For some, a decision by Czech TV to rebroadcast the series a number of years ago still rankles. And although the affair eventually died down, it is now, once again threatening to resurface, as

2006 is the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Prague's Jewish Museum, and to mark the event, exhibitions, concerts, films and theatre performances will be held across the country. The festival, dubbed The Year of Jewish Culture, will aim to reflect the huge cultural contribution made by the Jews of Bohemia and Moravia over the centuries.

It was just at this time of year, 37 years ago, that an unknown 20-year-old Czech student overnight became a focus and symbol of the nation. His name was Jan Palach, and at the top of Prague's Wenceslas Square, just below the National Museum, you can find a small memorial to him. On 16th January 1969, Jan Palach dowsed himself in petrol and set himself alight on the square. It was a desperate attempt to reverse the gradual process of demoralization that set in when Soviet-led troops crushed the reforms of the Prague Spring, five months earlier.

You can't read Radio Prague's "pirate" New Year's programme on the Internet - but you can listen. And you should! Learn what "really" goes on at Radio Prague perhaps not everyday, but at least every New Year's. It's Radio Prague behind the scenes (yuck)! Jan Velinger and co. take you through a spoof of life at the station through sketches like "Swedish meatball sandwich" and "Rammstein aren't Czech". Happy New Year's - December 31st!

St. Stephen's Day - better known as 'Boxing Day' -- became known as such because that was when churches opened their alms boxes to hand out money to the poor, in the spirit of Christmas. In the Czech Republic, the day (in fact, the whole week) is one for feasting with family and settling down to watch 'pohadky' -- fairy tales -- on the telly. In that spirit, and as part of our holiday series, We now treat you to a look at some of the most beloved Czech fairytales on film.

Are you tired of baking the same Christmas cookies year after year? Do you have a sweet tooth and think it deserves a special treat at Christmas time? Jarka Halkova asked Martin Polacko, a young and up-and-coming chef, to come to your aid. He proposed apples and pears wrapped in pastry "purses" - a Christmas dessert that's delicious and very easy to bake. Here's the recipe:

"Christmas Eve" is the first ever concert melodrama that was introduced to the Czech audience. In celebration of the 130th anniversary of its first ever performance, Dita Asiedu explores how this masterpiece by the great Czech composer Zdenek Fibich was born and visits a Prague exhibition devoted to Christmas Eve in art.

It was only just a few months ago that Czechs were first introduced - some would say subjected to - reality TV. In late summer two new programmes hit the commercial stations, Big Brother and the then lesser-known VyVoleni (The Selected), drawing a great deal of media attention. Millions have now tuned in - and a great number of young viewers watch regularly - but others were turned-off from the start, either unimpressed or offended by the exploits of the shows' overnight celebrities. Until now. A new reality show begun this month by Czech Radio