Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

In the rerun of 2018 tribute to victims of WWI, we get back to Fields of Remembrance at Westminster Cathedral. While in London, RSI captured the launch of "Bloody sonnets", the Slovak anti-war poetry classics by Pavol Orszagh Hviezdoslav.

Although the topic of Roma education has resonated in debates for many years, little attention is paid to the key actors in education – teachers. in this episode we are going to take a closer look at the conditions and struggles the teachers have to face in the marginalized communities in Slovakia and last but not least, their well-being as the SAV project tells us. We are going to be talking to t...

Dychovka music is a traditional genre that has been played for centuries throughout Slovakia. In this episode, we explore the variety of styles of dychovka through through the Na Plny Dych festival in Moravske Lieskove. There, members of the band Drietomanka (a regional favorite with a rich history) talk about the origins of Slovak dychovka and show how dynamic modern dychovka can be. As well, we...

November in Bratislava is very busy. Two important long time events are the International Women's Club of Bratislava's Charity Bazaar and the Slovak Queer film festival. Ben Pascoe sat down with the organizers of these events to find out more about them.

As a new Slovak moving portrait now in cinemas brings his story to life, we look back at the life and legacy of Ondrej Nepela — Slovakia’s greatest figure skater and one of its most celebrated athletes. Through archival recordings and new interviews with filmmakers, actors, and those who knew him, we trace Nepela’s journey — from a quiet boy discovered by coach Hilda Múdra to an Olympic champion a...

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

On Tuesday, 4 November, it was 20 years since the death of Comenius University student Daniel Tupý, who was killed in Bratislava in an attack by a group of people described by eyewitnesses as neo-Nazis. Daniel was targeted simply because of his long hair, glasses, and guitar. The guitar has now become the central motif of a new statue commissioned by Comenius University, unveiled during a commemor...

Window to the world & competition

Irish Theatre in Bratislava – The Irish community, in cooperation with the Irish Embassy, is preparing a theatre performance of Moll by Irish playwright John B. Keane. We spoke about the upcoming performance with John Fagan, an Irishman living in Slovakia and a former professional actor who is organizing the event. Later in the program we will discuss Zvuky demokracie (Sounds of Democracy) – an in...

Ben Pascoe talks with sociologist and founder of the IVO (Institute for Public Affairs) Zora Bútorová about the state of Slovakia today. They discuss what is going right in Slovakia today, the biggest challenges the country and society face as well as some tips about how to better enjoy Slovakia today.

Democracy, rule of law, and human rights — the core values of the Council of Europe reach far beyond Strasbourg. In this episode of Slovakia Today, Oľga Algayerová, Ambassador at the Permanent Mission of Slovakia to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, explains the Council’s mission, the work of Slovakia’s Permanent Mission, and how Slovakia contributes to Europe’s shared commitment to these funda...

RSI takes a look back at the past week in Slovakia. Today we focus on All Saint's Day.

Ben Pascoe talks with musicologist, musical journalist, musician and music lover Oliver Rehak to give you an intro to Slovak music today. REPEAT

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 Slovakia’s many majestic mountains, the country is full of hidden gems. For those curious to explore beyond Slovakia's well-known destinations, we pr...

In 2022, Slovak households generated roughly 478 kilograms of municipal waste per person, slightly below the EU average. However, Slovakia’s recycling rate is also below the European average, standing at just 49.5%. Even more concerning is the country’s continued reliance on landfilling and incineration for the remaining waste. To better understand the environmental and social impacts of these pra...

Why did Ľudovít Štúr choose to codify the Slovak language based on the dialects of Central Slovakia? How did a young man from a small Slovak village become a member of the Hungarian Parliament? And was he more concerned about his appearance because of his female or male students? You’ll discover the answers to these questions and more in this Tuesday special, marking the 210th anniversary of a fig...

Each year, Pink October unites the world in the fight against breast cancer — raising awareness, encouraging early diagnosis, and supporting everyone whose lives have been touched by the disease. In this special broadcast, we explore how awareness turns into action — and how personal stories can inspire real change. Zuzana Bardyová from the National Oncology Institute (NOI) shares how Slovakia is...

Historian Michal Kšiňan explains the history behind the Cleveland agreement, the first document on the joint action of the Czechs and Slovaks in the struggle for national liberation in and after WWI. The first Czechoslovak republic was established in 1918 also thanks to Czechs and Slovaks living in the USA. Many of their descendants travel to Slovakia to seek their roots. In 2023, Zuzana Botikova...

Ben Pascoe meets Canadian Ambassador to Slovakia, Karen Elizabeth Mollica, to discuss Canada-Slovak relations as well as what it is like for a Canadian in Slovakia Today. REPEAT

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 the executive directors of the NGO People in Peril and the One World (Jeden Svet) film festival, Andrea Najvirtová and Eva Križková about the upcoming film festival and their work in Slovakia Today.

The eleventh episode of our Window to the World series takes us to the western Slovak town of Leopoldov and to the small village of Heinersbrück in eastern Germany. In this instalment, our colleagues Michal Herceg and Juraj Pavlovič explore how this rather unusual partnership began — and how cooperation between the two communities has continued to grow over the years, building lasting ties across...

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

On Tuesday, 14 October, Michal Kaščák, director of the Pohoda Festival, announced the first headliner for the 30th edition of Slovakia’s largest summer multigenre event. For the first time ever, Gorillaz will perform at Pohoda, marking the strongest booking in the festival’s history. In 2025, the Slovak band Tolstoys performed at the festival in July and spoke to RSI about their experience at Glas...

A tribute to Slovakia’s golden voice — in life, in legend, and now on the big screen. As excitement builds around the new film about Karol Duchoň, we bring you the story of one of Slovakia’s most beloved singers — a powerful voice and gentle soul who touched generations. Through rare archival recordings, new film interviews, and heartfelt memories from those who knew him best, this special traces...