Special | All stories

In the last twenty-five years or so, Czechs have increasingly recognized the importance of giving to charity, not only for the sake of the society, but for themselves. Many people contribute to charity regularly, but at Christmas time the urge to help others and spare a thought for the less fortunate is stronger than ever. For this Christmas special I spoke to Pavla Vopeláková, a young woman whose whole life has revolved around charity, about her work for the Czech branch of the Salvation Army, some of the special charity projects linked to Christmas

It has been almost two years since Czech traveller Petr Kočnar settled in Rwanda after travelling previously in other countries in Africa. Kočnar originally hoped to volunteer for an aid organisation in the country, but finding none suitable, co-founded his own small NGO, called “Talking Through Art”. The idea was to help locals with physical disabilities, through art therapy, English lessons, and vocational training, to help them better integrate within society.

Over the years many Christmas programmes on Radio Prague have been dedicated to the Czech festive cuisine but there are still specialties which have been somewhat neglected and which definitely deserve more attention. Among them vánočka or Christmas sweet bread. In today’s programme we’ll be looking at this traditional type of pastry. For that I’m joined by translator Lucie Mikolajková, a mother of two and also a fine cook, who will show me how it is made.

When Slovak businessman Richard Galovič acquired the Favorit brand name of former Czechoslovakia’s famous but long defunct bike producer, some wondered whether it wasn’t a mistake. Since, Galovič has proven doubters wrong, now producing and selling luxury city bicycles under the Favorit name in the Czech Republic and abroad. At a glance the retro-style bike appears unassuming but in fact it is full of surprises, boasting top craftsmanship and top materials such as a carbon fibre frame. The bike you can buy today is certainly not your grandad’s Favorit,

Czech Political Prisoners: Recovering Face is the title of a book of photographs and texts by Jana Kopelentová-Rehak, a Czech anthropologist based in the US city of Baltimore. When the Šumava-born academic was in Prague recently we discussed the political prisoners, or “mukls”, she met and how they were marked by their experience of brutal communist labour camps. But first we spoke a little about her own life, starting with a key encounter in the 1980s, when she was taken in by Charter 77 signatory Miloslava Holubová.

The relatively rapid and bloodless Velvet Revolution that swept the communists from power in Czechoslovakia in 1989 and replaced them with a set of civic activists, mostly with little past experience of power, lived on in the memory of many.

Czechoslovak Independence Day is an annual national holiday in the Czech Republic, which marks the founding of the Czechoslovak state back in 1918. For this special programme, I am joined by noted Czech historian, and expert on all matters Czech and Slovak, Professor Jan Rychlík.

The late Czech president, Václav Havel, who died five years ago, would have turned 80 on Wednesday, October 5. Celebrations of his life and legacy are taking place at home and abroad. In this special program on Radio Prague we recall the heady days of the Velvet Revolution that swept the dissident playwright from jail to Prague Castle.

September 28 is the Feast Day of St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia. The son of a duke, Wenceslas ruled the country from 922, when he was 15, to his untimely death at the hands of his brother Boleslav on September 28, 935. The day is celebrated as 'Czech Statehood day', and is a public holiday. In this special program Dominik Jůn visits the town of Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, where Wenceslas was murdered on his way to mass. His guide is Petra Fialová from the town’s Information Centre.

Walking through the streets of Prague, you might run into a young man with Asian features. Out of curiosity, you might ask him where he comes from, and to your surprise, he answers: “I’m Czech.” The term ‘Banana kids’ refers to the second generation of Vietnamese immigrants, who are ‘yellow on the outside and white on the inside’. With its author Huyen Vi Tranová amongst the collage of voices, the following programme reflects not only on being a foreigner in one’s home country, but also on the inter-generational clash of values.