Compact archive October 18, 2007

Milan Kundera became this year’s laureate of Czech National Literature Prize. And he has also other primacy – in the modern history, there has never been awarded anyone, who wouldn’t pick it up.

Milan Kundera, born 1929 in former Czechoslovakia, is a Czech-born writer who has written books in both Czech and French. He is best known as the author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, and The Joke.

The gala evening with the prize presentation, handed over with 10 000€, takes place on 25th October. The expatriate, nowadays in France living writer is hoverer not going to pick it up. The same situation repeats as

in 1994, when he gained prestigious Jaroslav Seifert prize, for his novel Nesmrtelnost (Immortality), Kundera excepted the prize, but haven’t picked up. In his explanatory letter he wrote he would like to donate the prize, together with the monetary award, to memory of the Czech poet, Jan Skacel.

Foreign readers hesitate, if he is still a Czech author, or if he is already a French one. In the 90s Kundera started to write his novels in French, so there are still some pieces that haven’t been published in Czech. Kundera gradually translates into Czech just his essays.

Traditional music from old Edo, classic rock, trance and many other styles from the Japanese Taiko drummers BU-SHI-DO.

The Japanese Taiko drummers BU-SHI-DO are visiting Czech Republic for the first time as part of their European tour. This expressive rhythmic cyclone will be blowing through Archa Theatre on Friday the 19th of August.

During the concert, the traditional Japanese drummers will be presenting classic Japanese music, jazz, rock, trance and many other styles. In the first part of the show, the drummers will appear in traditional kimono and hakama trousers. In the second part of the show, audiences will get to hear BU-SHI-DO’s own compositions, fusing traditional instruments with western influences and modern genres. The group belongs to a new wave of Japanese artists, who are approaching traditional instruments in a new way.

Taiko drums have served many purposes in history, in particular during wars, when they were used by warriors to frighten their enemies. Thanks to their massive size and the long reach of their sound, Japanese warriors also used them for navigation and leading their troops. Taiko found their place in the Imperial Court and during religious ceremonies in Japanese temples. They were also used as a means of communication in villages, where drumming warned of danger or heralded the start of harvest. Taiko gained widespread popularity in the 1960’s with the start of group drumming shows.

Featuring:
Motofuji Mitsumasa – AJO (taiko)
Michiaki Shirata (Tsugaru shamisen)
Takayuki Hashiguchi (taiko)
Kiyomasa Hanahara (taiko)
Hidemasa Hanahara (taiko)
Yuichiro Furusato (taiko)

Concert organised in cooperation with the Japan Foundation and the Japanese Embassy.

Concert. With no language barrier.

19th October 2007, 20:00, Na Porici 26, Prague 1. Tickets: Seated: 350,- Kč / students + seniors + Archa.klub members 245,- Kč / standing 200,- Kč

New stations on the way from Prague Green Line station Dejvicka to the Ruzyne International Airport are already projected and have their definite looks.

Yesterday, the Prague Office has publically viewed, together with Metroproject, technical data of stations, budgets, and images of its appearance.

The mining works will start at its best in two years, first travelers will go 2018 at the latest. There are going to be eight stations, two hollowed, and six mined. The whole track will have about 13 kilometers and the approximated costs are 15 milliards CZK (500 millions €)

The winner of the Czech Press Photo contest is the one depicting child execution.

Dan Materna from MF Dnes Newspaper won this prestigious contest with all the jury voting for his shot. Its theme – the worst personal drama of human life – war within a family.

Amanda Hopkins from the jury declared: “It is a pivotal problem of contemporary civilization; crisis of values, where everybody lose: mather, father, child, society and offices. Emotively strong picture holds up a mirror and gives questions. We have agreed with single voice the picture shows a problem that is all-European” Moreover, it could help with solving of those case cases in general.

The winner of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) prize is Jan Sibik, for the picture of Refugee camp in Uganda. This photography is his only awarded picture of this year, the previous years he took away usually various prizes for his pictures of war conflicts or places stricken with a humanitarian catastrophe.

To see the winning pictures, click here.

The Czech Republic made a mockery of Germany’s unbeaten record in Euro 2008 qualifiers with an amazing 3-0 away win at Munich’s Allianz Arena to seal their qualification.

The Czechs overcame Germany’s defence with all three goals coming from their midfield as coach Karel Brueckner’s tactic of playing a 4-2-3-1 formation paid off.

The Czech national football team has advanced into Euro 2008, that takes place June next year in Austria and Switzerland. It is a great news not only for sport fans, but also for mangers and owners of companies.

Last time, in the European championship 2004, the Czech team was led by the same coach, Karel Brueckner, and we gained bronze. It is his third successful qualification in a row.

Over five thousand Czech fans arrived into Munich and had a great time. Such a contest was won by a Czech team in Germany for the last time in 1964 . Germany is not used to such loses – they have been beaten with a difference of three goals just six times since the WWI. Will the Czech team be able to keep its winning spirit into the end of Euro 2008?