This section highlights initiatives that are in keeping with the aims of the BCSA. Send contributions to communication@bcsa.co.uk.

From 12 October 2023 the Slovak Embassy in London will once more be located at 25 Kensington Palace Gardens, W8 4QY following its reconstruction.

SLOVAKIA & THE UNITED KINGDOM: THE FIRST 30 YEARS by Pavol Demeš

A bilingual publication to mark the first 30 years of mutual diplomatic relations, richly illustrated with captions in Slovak and English. The English version begins on page 155. Forewords by BCSA patrons Nigel Baker, Ambassador of the UK to Slovakia and Róbert Ondrejcsák, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the UK.

Coverage includes Slovak-British relations (1918-1989) the Velvet Revolution and the beginning of closer co-operation (1989-1992) the velvet divorce and bilateral relations between Slovakia and Great Britain (1993-1998) Slovak integration and British aid to Slovakia (1998-2004) Slovak membership of NATO and the EU (2004-2010) Slovak-British relations (2010-2020) and currently (2020-2022).

It is available to read here

CHILDREN OF HEROES

In 2022 the Czech Ambassador in London, Marie Chatardová, began a video series with descendants and relatives of Czechoslovak servicemen and women who fought for freedom in the UK during WW2. Many of them started new families and stayed here or returned after the end of the war. This gives their relatives a chance to speak out about family memories and themselves.

The interviews are available here

CZEXPATS

In 2021 the Czech Embassy in London launched a long-term project of interviews with Czech citizens living in the UK. About 100,000 people of Czech origin have made there home here. Among them are athletes, artists, doctors, businessmen and teachers who have succeeded in their profession or significantly contributed to their community.

To view interviews with Anna Fodorová (writer & psychotherapist) Míla Fürstová (artist) Eva Jiřičná (architect) John Mucha (Mucha Foundation) Petr Torák (COMPAS charity) Sir John Tusa (journalist & manager) and many others click here

WHERE IS MY HOME? The story of Czechoslovak emigrants in Britain

World War 2 was followed by the Cold War where half of Europe was free and the other oppressed including Czechoslovakia. these are the stories of three BCSA members who needed to escape their country to be free.

Tereza Tomanová created this documentary to complete her MA in multi media journalism.

The background to her research is explained in an interview with Radio Prague.