Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

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 o...

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.

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...

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...

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 s...

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 Alfon...

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 th...

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...

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 successe...

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 intro...

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 it...

A look back at headlines and the stories brought to you as a tribute to the late Pope Francis.

2024 Radio_Head winner for Best Experimental Album, Michaela Turcerová, lives in Copenhagen, where she studied at the prestigious Rhythmic Music Conservatory. In this interview, she reveals what lies behind her eagerness to challenge the saxophone. In this week's cultural tips - 1 May events.

In this episode, we focus on two unique natural sites and the efforts to protect and restore them. First, we visit the Šúr nature reserve, located near Bratislava. Despite its international ecological value, it remains little-known to the public. Conservationists are now working to revive this rare wetland forest—using traditional methods like grazing cattle. Then, we turn our attention to the Dan...