Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

Episodi

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  Day of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. (15.9.2026 16:00) 15.09.2026 23min

  In honour of the special day in Slovakia, we take a look back at some interviews explaining where this tradition comes from and why it is celebrated here.
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  HerStories from the Capital IV: Remarkable Women of Bratislava. Slovak Sound Check Episode 55. (14.9.2026 16:00) 14.09.2026 29min

  The fourth edition of our summer series HerStories from the Capital: Remarkable Women of Bratislava brings together three women whose lives took very different paths, yet each left a lasting mark in our Capital. Bratislava tour guides Ľubomíra Černáková and Katarína Blšták Čatlošová introduce us to Helena Turcerová Devečková, a pioneering scholar, author and translator; Zdenka (Cecília) Schelingová, a religious sister who became a symbol of courage and resistance under the communist regime; and Erna Masarovičová, an influential sculptor who challenged the conventions of a male-dominated art world. As always, the programme concludes with a new edition of our language corner, Slovak Sound Check.
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  Week in Slovakia. (12.9.2026 16:00) 12.09.2026 26min

  Breaking headlines of the week and feature teasers from RSI English section editors.
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  SUMMER READING WITH RSI Pt 5. Culture tips. (11.9.2026 16:00) 11.09.2026 23min

  Throughout the summer, RSI has been running a series of readings from Slovak literature in English translation. For our English-speaking audience, we’ve been bringing you The Book of Bratislava, an anthology published in the UK by the independent publishing house Comma Press. Now, we’re bringing the series to a close with an excerpt from Eva Vozárová’s story-essay Summer in Bratislava, translated by Paul Kaye. This reading will feature a special guest and a special audio recording. The culture tip for English speakers is the Bratislava World Music Festival. Inviting is its co-founder and programming director Vladimir Potančok.
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  30th anniversary of the founding of the Child Safety Helpline and the current state of mental health of children in Slovakia. (10.9.2026 16:00) 10.09.2026 27min

  REPRÍZA: 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 past decades, what challenges dominate today, and where the system still falls short.
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  A New School Year, A New Approach. Slovakia Through My Eyes, Part 1. (9.9.2026 16:00) 09.09.2026 28min

  The new school year has brought several changes to Slovakia, including the launch of the country’s biggest education reform in the past 20 years. At a press conference, Education Minister Tomáš Drucker, Petra Fridrichová, Director of the Formal Education Support Department at NIVaM and co-author of the new State Educational Programme, Chairwoman of the Association of Primary Schools of Slovakia Eva Horníková, President of the Slovak Chamber of Teachers Jarmila Javorková, and other experts discussed why the reform was needed and what it will mean for pupils, teachers and schools. Educators from the field also shared their perspectives and experiences with the changes. Octavia McKenzie premiers her new series Slovakia Through My Eyes
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  What's new at Slovakia Today. (8.9.2026 16:00) 08.09.2026 28min

  Ben Pascoe visits the special centenary exhibit at the Slovak Radio building with a special guest and introduces you to our newest colleague Octavia.
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  The Science of Generosity: Exploring Altruism in Slovakia. Slovak Sound Check Episode 54. (7.9.2026 16:00) 07.09.2026 27min

  Why do people give? What does generosity really mean, and what shapes charitable behavior in Slovakia compared to other countries? To explore these questions, we speak with experimental and behavioral economist Matej Lorko. We discuss what behavioral economics reveals about human decision-making, how economists study altruism in laboratory settings, and whether charitable giving is driven more by empathy, moral values, or subtle forms of self-interest. We also examine how experimental research can inform public policy, support the nonprofit sector, and deepen our understanding of cooperation, trust, and prosocial behavior in modern societies. In the latest episode of Slovak Sound Check, we learn useful vocabulary for outdoor activities — from cycling and hiking to swimming, camping and outdoor grilling.
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  Week in Slovakia. (5.9.2026 16:00) 05.09.2026 27min

  We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.
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  100 YEARS OF RADIO: Slovak Radio Symphonic Orchestra. Culture tips. (4.9.2026 16:00) 04.09.2026 26min

  Roman Bomboš brings another story linked to the centenary of radio broadcasting in what is now Slovakia. This time, he focuses on the first professional symphony orchestra in the country. Culture Tips feature two invitations – one to the international film festival Cinematik, which starts in Piešťany on 8 September, and the second to LingvaFest, a festival of foreign languages that can be studied in Slovakia.
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  Senior Ťa Potrebuje: The Power of Presence. (3.9.2026 16:00) 03.09.2026 27min

  How much can a simple conversation, a cup of coffee or just a little attention mean to an older person? In this programme, we meet Kristína Holecová, the creator of the Instagram profile Senior ťa potrebuje – Senior Needs You. She shares her experiences and friendships with seniors, explains why our presence can sometimes be the most valuable thing we can offer, and tells the remarkable story of an unexpected encounter that took her all the way to India.
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  Green Slovakia: Kerterre and Community. (2.9.2026 16:00) 02.09.2026 28min

  As housing prices continue to rise in Slovakia, finding an affordable place to live is becoming increasingly difficult. At the same time, the environmental cost of conventional construction is prompting more people to question how — and from what — we build our homes. In this edition of Green Slovakia, we explore some of the ideas behind natural, low-impact construction. Our story takes us to Zaježová in central Slovakia, where Paul, a former volunteer at the Sekier Eco-village, found himself looking for an alternative to conventional housing. His search led him to an unusual approach known as Kerterre — a small, organic form of natural building that uses materials such as earth and natural fibres. We hear how the project began, what he learned along the way, and what building a home can mean beyond simply putting a roof over your head.
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  Constitution Day in Slovakia. (1.9.2026 16:00) 01.09.2026 26min

  In honour of the anniversary of the Slovak Constitution, Ben Pascoe brings you interviews with constitutional experts Radoslav Prochazka and Vincent Bujňák.
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  RERUN: MIB’s “City for Children”: Building a Child-Friendly Bratislava. Slovak Sound Check Episode 47. (31.8.2026 16:00) 31.08.2026 27min

  Experts say that walking to school independently helps children develop self-confidence, responsibility and social skills. Yet many parents remain hesitant, concerned that public spaces and traffic conditions are not safe enough for their children. The Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava's Mesto pre deti (City for Children) project aims to change that by combining urban planning, traffic solutions and community participation to create safer and more accessible streets for everyone. Today, we talk with the project's lead urbanist Sandra Štasselová, MIB architect Marianna Páleníková, and parenting counsellor Martina Vagačová. In a playful Children’s Day episode of Slovak Sound Check, we learn useful vocabulary connected to playground activities while keeping things fun, and beginner-friendly.
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  Week in Slovakia. (29.8.2026 16:00) 29.08.2026 26min

  We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.
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  RADIOO: Slovak Insurgent Radio Broadcasting in 1944 (28.8.2026 16:00) 28.08.2026 26min

  Martina Greňová Šimkovičová revisits a report from Banská Bystrica, from Professor Ladislav Sára Street, home to a Slovak Radio studio. The report recalls Anton Prídavok and features an archival appeal from Slovak Radio urging listeners, in the final days of August 1944, not to tune in to broadcasts from Bratislava, but instead to listen to the Free Slovak Broadcaster.
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  500 Years since the Battle of Mohacs l On New Euro Banknotes with NBS. (27.8.2026 16:00) 27.08.2026 25min

  In today’s programme, we will mark the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács, a turning point that profoundly reshaped Central Europe and the territory of present-day Slovakia. We will look at the battle itself, the subsequent Ottoman expansion and its lasting military and cultural impact on the region, while also exploring the Mohács 500 SK exhibition at Zvolen Castle. Our guests are historian Michal Duchoň from the Military History Institute and Denis Haberland, curator of the Mohács 500 SK exhibition.
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  The Pohoda Togetherness: A Temporary Society. (26.8.2026 16:00) 26.08.2026 23min

  The Pohoda Festival is known not only for its music, but also for its atmosphere of mutual respect, trust, and a willingness to help. What creates this exceptional atmosphere? Is it the result of the festival’s organization or the visitors themselves? And what does this tell us about the kind of community people long for today? Together with sociologist Dr. Zuzana Kusá, we seek answers to the question of why the crowd at Pohoda becomes a community.
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  Bratislava's New New Market. (25.8.2026 16:00) 25.08.2026 30min

  Nova Trznica, the new market hall, is the futuristic looking building at Bratislava’s Trnavské mýto. In the past, it was a bustling market hall, an architectural wonder, the place to be in Bratislava. Recently it had fallen on hard times. Those times are past. Ben Pascoe visited the market hall and met with vendors, and organizers Peter Briatka and Illah Van Oijen, who are working hard to rebuild the nova trznica community and breathe new life into the new market hall.
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  Slovakia’s Workforce at a Crossroads: Who Will Keep Us Working? Slovak Sound Check Episode 53. (24.8.2026 16:00) 24.08.2026 27min

  Slovakia’s labour market is entering a period of profound change. An ageing population, labour shortages, migration, new technologies and artificial intelligence are reshaping the way we work, while the country’s traditional economic model is coming under increasing pressure. In this interview, Monika Uhlerová, President of the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic, discusses some of the biggest challenges facing Slovakia’s workforce — from demographic change and the future of pensions to skills, labour migration and the changing expectations of younger workers. She also explores how workplaces, employers and social-security systems will need to adapt to a rapidly evolving world of work. In the latest episode of Slovak Sound Check, we cool down with one of summer’s greatest pleasures: ice cream! Learn useful Slovak phrases for ordering at an ice-cream shop, from choosing a cone or a cup to asking for scoops and your favourite flavours.