Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

Today, we venture beyond Earth and into the future of food as we explore space agriculture—growing crops in space to support long-term human missions. Joining us to unpack this topic are Professor Nigel Mason and Dr. Veronika Medvecká. In the second half of the program, we shift focus back to Earth. We sit down with Lucia Kocáková from Knižnica pre mládež mesta Košice to talk about the evolving ro...

Ben Pascoe talks with 3 time Olympic Hockey Team member Michal Handzus to discuss the olympic experience, Slovakia's team and hockey in Slovakia today.

The Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are underway, with more than 50 Slovak athletes competing under the five rings. This year’s team features a notably strong presence of young athletes. According to Roman Buček, head of the Slovak delegation, youth representation is even above average. In total, 32 Slovak athletes are making their Olympic debut, underlining a clear generationa...

After the digest of some of this week's top news items, we bring you tips for a few stories of the past week. Veronika Ščepánová met with Clowndoctors, Ben Pascoe discussed Slovak hockey team and Patrícia Polakovičová looks at Slovakia plans to integrate artificial intelligence into education.

An interview with Katarína Ružičková from Amnesty International Slovakia about a joint project with Amnesty International Czech Republic supporting human rights education for children and young adults. The project was created by 18 teachers from the Czech Republic and 7 from Slovakia. Two students—participants in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award—took on the challenge of facing Mr Bilal...

In this show, we explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping education in Slovakia through the official AI in Education initiative (ai.iedu.sk). While AI tools are increasingly present in classrooms and at home, their use raises important questions about teaching practices, fairness, and the role of human educators. We speak with two experts: Miron Zelina, a psychologist and university profes...

In this episode, we explore Slovakia’s role in the European PACES research project, which examines how people make decisions about migration and how those decisions are reflected in policy. Representatives from the Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Mareena Foundation discuss their collaboration, with a focus on research involving African migrants and the value of combining academic research with...

The Olympic hockey tournament is starting! The Slovak team are the defending bronze medallists, but this time the best of the best will be playing. Ben Pascoe sat down with hockey podcaster Palo Tehlar and Slovak Radio sports journalist Martin Kaigl to get you all the info you need to cheer on the Slovak team!

Are healthcare clowns closer to artists — or to healthcare assistants? This week, we take a closer look at the work of ČERVENÝ NOS Clowndoctors, a professional organization bringing humor, empathy, and human connection into hospitals and care facilities across Slovakia. In 2025 alone, the organization carried out nearly 3,000 healthcare clown visits nationwide. Executive Director Milan Šagát expla...

A look back at the past week in Slovakia and RSI

We return to the roundup of some of the most important events of 2025 in Slovakia presenting some of the news that made headlines not only at home but also abroad.

Slovakia is facing two interconnected demographic challenges: a rapidly ageing population and the continued migration of young people abroad. Patrícia Polakovičová explores how these trends shape the country’s future, drawing on insights from sociologist Miloslav Bahna of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and Jozef Božik, Chairman of the Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia. Together, the...

Today, we explore eco-friendly farming across Slovakia. First, we visit Ovosad Farm in Myjava, where sustainable farming practices are shaping a greener future. Then, we head to Moravské Lieskové to learn about hazelnut farming and its role in the local economy and environment. Next, we check out a prototype electromobile designed to assist farmers in vineyards, reducing emissions and soil disrupt...

Before heading to Italy to cover the winter olympics, STVR sports reporter Martin Kaigl sat down with Ben Pascoe to discuss the Slovak team. This is the first part in a series that will help you get to know and cheer on the Slovak team. Before heading to Italy to cover the winter olympics, STVR sports reporter Martin Kaigl sat down with Ben Pascoe to discuss the Slovak team. This is the first part...

International cooperation, digital skills and real-life learning define the European eTwinning platform, which has been part of Slovak schools for more than 20 years. To we explore how Europe’s largest online community of schools connects teachers and students across borders through projects that develop key competences for life in the 21st century we speak with Katarína Hrbáňová, coordinator of e...

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

Marking one hundred years of radio broadcasting in Slovakia, this series also highlights the international-level content produced by RSI. In this instalment, Martina Greňová Šimkovičová revisits her coverage of the landmark exhibition of sculptor Mária Bartuszová at London’s Tate Modern — one of the world’s leading museums of modern and contemporary art. Presented in 2022, the exhibition reflected...

In the first part of our show we are going to discuss a very important milestone for Slovakia -- M.R. Štefánik airport in Bratislava has reached the highest number of travelers in its history, reaching the number of 2,43 million passangers in 2026. You are going to hear from the M. R. Štefánik Airport CEO Dušan Novota as well as ambassadors from Georgia and Moldova. Second part of the show will be...

This year, Mira Tus Manos — the solo project of Argentine producer Cristian Estrella — released a new album titled The Future Sounds of Slovakia. The record journeys through Slovakia’s rich folkloric traditions and regional cultures, but with a modern twist. Each expansive track, created in collaboration with musicians from around the globe, fuses traditional Slovak sounds with diverse influences...

Ben Pascoe sits down with constitutional lawyer and expert Radoslav Procházka discuss the Slovak court systems and the recent laws that have been sent to the constituional court to see if they are in line with the Slovak constitutional.

What happens when art confronts indifference, fear, and political inertia? We talk with Tomáš Eštok, founder of Spare Parts Theater, Bohdan Metenkanych, director of their upcoming production The Normal Heart, and Seán MacDiarmada, actor and co-host of Slovak Sound Check, about their unique English-language theatre in Slovakia and its strong social and political commentary. The conversation centres...

Week in Slovakia

Marking 100 years of radio broadcasting in Slovakia and coinciding with the latest Golden Globe Awards, Martina Greňová Šimkovičová revisits a selection of her most memorable interviews with international film stars who have visited Slovakia. In this instalment of her 2026 series, she looks back on her meeting with US–French actor Jean-Marc Barr and her conversation with one of the world’s top dir...

Marking the 30th anniversary of Child Safety Helpline, this programme examines the current state of mental health among children and minors in Slovakia. Through insights from child helpline professionals, special education teacher Jana Merašická, and a researcher from The Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology, we explore how children’s psychological needs have changed over the...

In today’s program, Romana Grajcarová talks with ornithologist Adriana Hološková about the great bustard—named Bird of the Year 2026—and why protecting this rare and majestic species matters for our landscape and biodiversity. Later, the show continues with a new episode of the Who Was That series, this time introducing Jozef Ignác Bajza, the author of the first novel written in the Slovak languag...