As contemporary politics drift closer to totalitarianism, historiography from scholars and thinkers who have experienced twentieth-century totalitarian regimes is more important than ever. A professor of legal philosophy Jiri Priban and Pavel Seifter, historian and former Czech Ambassador to the UK, search for the roots of contemporary problems in our past, examining how we navigate... Read more »

A concert by Romani children from the Chavorenge Children’s Choir led by Ida Kelarova and her team accompanied by musicians from the Czech Philharmonic. “Romani children don’t feel welcome in our society. Breaking free from the vicious circle of settlements and ghettos into a world where they are expected to succeed, be self-confident and achieve... Read more »

The ensemble took the name of a Czech composer, and continues its commitment to music from his country in this programme, with a work by Erwin Schulhoff alongside a quartet by Smetana. The contemporary Slovak composer L'ubica Cekovska is also represented. L'ubica Cekovska (b.1975) A Midsummer Quartet Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) String Quartet No. 1 Bedrich... Read more »

Inspired by the real-life story of a woman in the small town of Štúrovo in southern Slovakia. A portrait of a woman compelled to listen to music known for pushing boundaries and conventions in contemporary Slovak theatre. Author, director, actor and conceptual artist Sláva Daubnerová blends authenticity and documentary techniques with fiction to pose fundamental... Read more »

One-day seminar hosted by UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies. Co-organised with the Centre for the Study of Central Europe, UCL SSEES and the Institute of Slovak Literature of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, this one-day conference, open to the public, aims to introduce the reading public as well as publishers, journalists, translators,... Read more »

Under Rudolf II Prague again became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Following the example of his Habsburg ancestors, he assembled an exceptional collection of works of art for which the imperial palace on the Hradcany was adapted. He patronised painters, sculptors, goldsmiths who flocked to Prague, and also men of learning including Tycho... Read more »

30 years after the fall of Communism, leading historian and political scientist Jacques Rupnik and a multi-award winning documentary film director Tom Roberts re-visit their Channel 4 revolutionary documentary series (1988) which revealed the impact of 40 years of Communist rule on the nations of the ‘Other Europe’. Written and narrated by Jacques Rupnik, this... Read more »

Academic conference and evening arts event. This conference will explore the contributions of Czech philosopher Jan Patocka to our understanding of whether and how meaningful political action is possible—taking cues from his phenomenology, his essays on arts and culture, his writings on Europe, and his conception of sacrifice. The day will feature Patocka scholars and... Read more »

London region of U3As music day Programme: 10.45-10.55 Music of the Czechs: Geographical and historical context introduction by the chair of the London Region, Catherine Ware 11.00–12.00 Evocations of Prague a London region music visit to Prague remembered through a sequence of images, poetry, prose and music Hugh Noble, Redbridge U3A 12.05–13.05 Bedrich Smetana –... Read more »

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, Dr. Barbara Day MBE will be speaking about Czechoslovak underground universities in the 1970s and 80s and their relationship with institutions in Britain. Barbara is the author of The Velvet Philosophers which presents a detailed account of the conditions in which the underground universities... Read more »