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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250623T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250623T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250611T103102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250611T103102Z
UID:11287-1750701600-1750710600@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Jewish women from Slovakia
DESCRIPTION:A panel discussion about Jewish women from Slovakia – Legacy and Identities accompanied by the opening of an exhibition “Women who have left their mark” at the Slovak Embassy\, London. \n\nMichal Vaněk – Director of the Museum of Jewish Culture\, who prepared the exhibition\n\nMichal  has worked at the Museum of Jewish Culture of the Slovak National Museum since 2009\, where he started as a curator. He is an author and co-author of several internationally acclaimed exhibitions related to the development of Jewish sport and its leading personalities. \n\nJulia Sherwood – will be talking about “Agneša Kalinová\, her life (or Seven Lives) and legacy“ and briefly about Irena Blühová.\n\nJulia is a translator and promoter of Slovak literature She was born and grew up in Bratislava and studied English and Slavonic languages and literature in Cologne\, London and Munich. She co-curates the website SlovakLiterature.com and is the editor of Seagull Books’ Slovak List. \n\nCaroline Hilton – will be focusing on the life of her mother\, Gerta Vrbová\, who is part of the exhibition\, after World War II and the challenges she faced.\n\nCaroline is an Associate Professor in Primary Education at UCL Institute of Education. \n\nDr. Bea Lewkowicz – will be moderating the evening and discussing the lives of the Slovak-Jewish interviewees in the AJR Refugee Voices Archive.\n\nBea is an Oral Historian and Curator. She is the director and co-founder of two oral history archives\, the AJR Refugee Voices Testimony Archive of the Association of Jewish Refugees and Sephardi Voices UK. She is the Project Lead of the Holocaust Testimony UK portal which launched was launched in December 2024\, and recently curated the 80 Objects/80 Lives digital exhibition. She is currently working on a book based on her mother’s testimony (Hiding in Plain Sight – A Holocaust Memoir of Survival in Slovakia). \n\nDr Jana Burešová´s topic for the discussion will be “Lest We Forget Them: The Unacknowledged Inspirational Women“\n\nJana is a historian specialising in Czechoslovak exile\, particularly women refugees and WWII-era migration; contributes to exile studies research and works on works on refugee oral and archival testimonies. \nThe specially curated exhibition aims to present inspiring female figures of Jewish origin who are linked to the territory of today’s Slovakia – they were born here\, lived here or are of Slovak origin – and whose achievements in science\, art\, and business left a lasting international legacy. In spite of historical barriers\, these women rose to prominence and helped to redefine women’s role within society. Through their stories\, we warmly encourage you to join us for an evening dedicated to memory\, talent and the talent and an ongoing journey to recognition. \nFree entry\, all are welcome in person or online. Doors open at 5.30pm. \nRegistration via Eventbrite booking link below is essential. \nHosted by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in London in collaboration with the Museum of Jewish Culture in Bratislava\, the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) and the British Czech and Slovak Association (BCSA).
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/jewish-women-from-slovakia/
LOCATION:Slovak Embassy\, 25 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jewish-Slovak-women.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250621T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250621T180000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250325T151712Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250531T173646Z
UID:10973-1750514400-1750528800@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:BCSA/CBCC Garden Party
DESCRIPTION:Our summer social will once again be held in the gardens of the Czech and Slovak Embassies\, with their kind permission.  \nAll are welcome – not just BCSA members. Bring your friends\, bring your family! Enjoy an afternoon relaxing among Slovak\, Czech and British people. \n\nTraditional dance performance by Okénko\nRaffle prizes include Ensana hotel stays at Buxton Crescent Hotel\, Mariánské Lázně – Nové Lázně or Pieštany health spa\nChildren’s art competition exhibition\n\n\nThe ticket price includes one complimentary alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverage. This year catering will be provided by the chef of the Czech Embassy whose premises have been made available to us.\n\n\n\n Admission by pre-paid tickets only; see booking link below\n\n\n£14.00 children (5-15 years)\n\n\n£19.00 full-time students\n\n\n£24.00 BCSA members\n\n\n£30.00 non-members\n\n\n£60.00 member family package (two adults\, three children 5-15)\n\n\n£72.00 non-member family package (two adults\, three children 5-15)\n\n\nComplimentary admission for children under 5 years\n\n\nTickets non-refundable after June 16th (00:00 BST)\n\nCapacity is limited; early booking is recommended to secure your attendance.\n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/bcsa-cbcc-garden-party/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy\, 26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/garden-party-2024-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250613T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250613T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250605T114400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250605T114400Z
UID:11245-1749839400-1749846600@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Volhynian Czechs in western Ukraine
DESCRIPTION:Who are the Volhynian Czechs? Discover the powerful and little-known story of a Czech community that took root in Volhynia (western Ukraine) in the 19th century—and has stood at the crossroads of war\, displacement\, and identity ever since. \nProfessor Lyudmyla Chyzhevska\, head of the Zhytomyr Association of Volhynian Czechs and the Czech National Council of Ukraine\, she shares insights on: \n\n19th-century Czech settlement in Volhynia\nTheir role in WWI and WWII\nDisplacement after the Chernobyl disaster and during recent conflicts\nThe present-day challenges facing this community\n\n🗣️ Q&A session to follow \nFree entry\, all are welcome in person or online. \nRegistration via Eventbrite booking link below is essential. \nOrganised by the Czech and Slovak School Okénko & the British Czech and Slovak Association in cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic\, London \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/volhynian-czechs-in-western-ukraine/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy\, 26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Volhynian-Czechs-poster.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250601T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250621T140000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250601T154322Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250601T154507Z
UID:11226-1748779200-1750514400@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:2025 children's art competition
DESCRIPTION:Calling all young artists and writers in the UK with Czech or Slovak origins!\n\nThis year’s theme “FREEDOM” is inspired by the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.\n\nWhat does freedom mean to you today? When do you feel the most free\, and why? What does a free world look like in your imagination? Why is freedom important for everyone\, not just for you? What message do you want your artwork to share about freedom?\n\nYou can express yourself in any ART form.\n\nWinners will be announced at the BCSA/CBCC Garden Party on 21st June 2025 and will receive prizes.\n\nAge categories: 5-7\, 8-10\, 11-14\, 15-18.\n\nSubmission in person by 2pm on the day of the garden party or by post by 18th June 2025.  Please email events@bcsa.co.uk for the postal address.\n\nWe look forward to receiving your art works.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/2025-childrens-art-competition/
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/art-competition-2025.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250520T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250520T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250508T103744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T094613Z
UID:11151-1747764000-1747773000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Auschwitz Report (Správa)
DESCRIPTION:A screening of the film The Auschwitz Report (Správa) based on the true story of Rudolf Vrba and Alfréd Wetzler\, two prisoners at the Auschwitz concentration camp who managed to escape with details about the camp’s operation including a label from a canister of the pesticide Zyklon-B\, used in the murders there. Once across the border into Žilina\, Slovakia\, they are asked by the resistance to type up their recollections\, which later becomes known as the Vrba-Wetzler report. The pair are eventually introduced to a representative from the Red Cross\, who despite disbelief at their claims agrees to pass on the report to the Allies. \nA 2021 film directed by Peter Bebjak who co-wrote the script with Jozef Pastéka & Peter Bebjack. It is a co-production between Slovakia\, the Czech Republic\, Poland and Germany. \nFollowing the screening\, there will be a Q&A session with actor Noël Czuczor (playing Alfred Wetzler) as well as personal reflections shared by Dr Bea Lewkowitz (Director\, Association of Jewish Refugee Voices Testimony Archive) and Caroline Hilton (daughter of Rudi Vrba and Gerta Vrbova). A profile of Gerta is available on the BCSA website Czech Slovak British Connections – British Czech and Slovak Association \n  \nEntry to this event is free but registration is essential see booking link below \nThis event will take place in person only. \nLight refreshments will be served afterwards. \n  \nHosted by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in London in cooperation with Association of Jewish Refugees and British Czech and Slovak Association as part of a commemorative series of events marking the 80th anniversary of the Second World War. \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-auschwitz-report-sprava/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/auschwitz-report.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250519T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250519T193000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250324T153341Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250330T121123Z
UID:10957-1747679400-1747683000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:The 1938 Runciman Mission to Prague
DESCRIPTION:As Europe faces yet another major crisis only 80 years after the end of World War Two and confronts the threat of war while latter-day dictators set the terms of peace in Ukraine\, it is timely to revisit the role and aim of the Runciman Mission to Prague from 3 August to 16 September 1938. The context then was Hitler’s geo-political ambition and Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement policy to gain ‘peace for our time’. On 30 September 1938 the Munich Agreement ceded Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland to Hitler – ‘O nás bez nás’ [‘about us without us’]. Must history repeat itself? On 15 March 1939 it was followed by the total occupation of Bohemia and Moravia. \nDr Ann Shukman\, granddaughter of William Runciman\, will answer questions received in advance regarding the Mission and her insightful book 44 Days in Prague: The Runciman Mission and the Race to Save Europe published by Hurst & Co. UK in 2024. She will be joined by her daughter\, Clare Ramos\, and her son David Shukman. \nPlease send any questions for Dr. Shukman to events@bcsa.co.uk. \nDr Shukman graduated in Modern Languages from Cambridge and gained a doctorate in Russian Literary theory from Oxford. Her lifelong interests have been Russia and the Christian church. In 1994 she was one of the first women ordained in the Church of England. \nThis event will be held via Zoom only. \nIt is held jointly with the Friends of Czech Heritage (FoCH) www.czechfriends.net \nBCSA and FoCH members enjoy free registration which is essential see booking link below \nNon-members £10\, full-time students £5. Eventbrite fees will be added to the cost of your tickets at checkout. \n  \nAll proceeds from this event will go to the BCSA School Support Fund established in 2004 to provide support for English language skills in Czech and Slovak schools and other educational institutions. For more information about our fund see www.bcsa.co.uk/school-support-fund/ \n  \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-1938-runciman-mission-to-prague/
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Runciman.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250513T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250513T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250429T141845Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250429T141845Z
UID:11124-1747161000-1747168200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Legacy of courage and rescue
DESCRIPTION:Legacy of Courage and Rescue: 80 Years Since the End of World War II. A panel discussion organised by the British Czech and Slovak Association\, the Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic. Join us as we reflect on the heroism\, suffering\, and hope that emerged from one of the most defining moments of the 20th century. \nThe event will also include the official presentation of the exhibition “Slovak Memorials to Victims of the II World War” \nWe look forward to welcoming you for an evening of remembrance\, dialogue\, and historical reflection. \nPanelists: \nGerry Manolas  chair\, Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans \nThe Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade (Dunkirk) \nFilm Siege Soldiers- Fortress Dunkirk by George Scott \nSylvia Daintrey on the role of Herbert Lowit in the surrender of Dunkirk \nFilm Parade of Hope \n  \nLady Milena Grenfell-Baines –  The Kindertransport \n  \nMagdalena Luscombe and Nina Buckley –  RAF Pilots (Václav Robert Bozděch and Antis) \n  \nEntry to this event is free but registration is essential\, see booking link below \nThis event will take place in person and will also be livestreamed. \nLight refreshments will be served afterwards.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/legacy-of-courage-and-rescue/
LOCATION:Slovak Embassy\, 25 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Slavin-Bratislava.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250509T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250510T210000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250302T154434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250302T154434Z
UID:10884-1746817200-1746910800@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Iva Bittová & JeFis Duo
DESCRIPTION:Singer and violinist Iva Bittová in a joint concert with JeFis Duo (violinist Pavel Fischer and accordionist Jakub Jedlinsky). A captivating world music combining influences of Moravian\, Balkan\, Jewish\, Irish and Roma music. \nThe work of the duo Jedlinský – Fischer combines traditional ethnic music with elements of classical\, jazz and free improvisation. It is inspired by the truth of folk music\, whose message is love\, joy and the desire for harmony. \nIva Bittová creates her music in a similar way. When such creative souls as these three occasionally meet during their concerts\, their musical testimony is even more intensified!\n“In today’s divided world full of uncertainty\, discord\, anger and stupidity\, when we seek light and love\, or just common human decency\, music can be that beacon. It knows no boundaries\, it doesn’t judge\, it just sounds\, consoles and heals.” Duo Jedlinský – Fischer\n“My approach to music is based on contact with nature. What really inspires me is absolute silence and a completely positive atmosphere….” Iva Bittová \n  \nManchester Friday 9 May 7pm Didsbury Baptist Church tickets from Czech School & Community Manchester online ticket sales powered by TicketSource \nLondon Saturday 10 May 7pm tickets from Buy tickets – Koncert Iva Bittová & JeFis Duo | Live Performance Iva Bittová & JeFis Duo – St Philip’s Church\, Earl’s Court Road \nThe concerts are organised by the Czech and Slovak School Okénko in cooperation with Czech School & Community Manchester and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London. \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/iva-bittova-jefis-duo/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Iva-Bittova.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250504T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250506T213000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241022T145049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241022T145049Z
UID:10400-1746385200-1746567000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Janáček: Excursions of Mr Brouček
DESCRIPTION:The ‘hero’ of Janáček’s 1920 satire is the sausage- and beer-guzzling Brouček\, a complacent\, commitment-averse landlord. Over two acts he travels to both the moon and the fifteenth century. Thinking the grass will be greener both times\, Brouček finds himself out of step with the communities he encounters\, almost fatally so at one point. He ends up learning nothing\, yet manages to claim he saved his homeland from disaster. Janáček’s colourful score and vividly-drawn characters are perfect for this uproarious\, off-beat story.  \nLondon Symphony Orchestra\nSir Simon Rattle conductor\nPeter Hoare Brouček\nAleš Briscein Mazal/Blankytný/Petřík\nLucy Crowe Málinka/Etherea/Kunka\n\nGyula Orendt Sakristán/Lunobor/Domšík\nLukáš Zeman Svatopluk/Würfl/Čaroskvoucí/Ratsherr\nClara Nadeshdin Číšníček/Wunderkind/Student\nArttu Kataja Artist/Dohuslav/Vojta\nLinard Vrielink Skladatel/Harfoboj/Miroslav\nHanna Hipp Kedruta
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/janacek-excursions-of-mr-broucek/
LOCATION:Barbican Centre\, Silk Street\, London\, EC2Y 8DS\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/RAttle.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250430T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250430T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250412T163947Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250412T163947Z
UID:11047-1746037800-1746045000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Wild Slovakia with Nigel Marven
DESCRIPTION:Join Nigel Marven as he presents his documentary film Wild Slovakia with Nigel Marven. This highly regarded documentary shows the natural beauties of Slovakia from watching a brown bear at a distance of just 40 metres\, fighting with a wood grouse to being completely covered by European ground squirrels. \nThis documentary was filmed in 2022 and 2023 by a British-Slovak team with exceptional scenes of Slovakia’s nature and also recorded interviews with experts on nature protection\, environmentalism and ecotourism. \nAs the documentary’s official website states “With its biodiversity\, Slovakia\, as a secret gem of Europe\, can compete with exotic countries of the world.” \nNigel Marven is a renowned British wildlife TV presenter\, naturalist\, conservationist\, author\, and television producer. He has filmed for National Geographic and Animal Planet\, worked for 12 years with Sir David Attenborough and made more than 150 films. \nLight refreshments will be served afterwards. \nEntry to this event is free but registration is essential see link below \nThis event will take place in person and will also be livestreamed.  \nIt is held in association with and hosted by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/wild-slovakia-with-nigel-marven/
LOCATION:Slovak Embassy\, 25 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wild-slovakia.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250422T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250422T210000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250302T132548Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250302T132548Z
UID:10880-1745348400-1745355600@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Pioneers of Czech Graphic Design
DESCRIPTION:The history of both Czech and global graphic design would be incomplete without the ground breaking contributions of Czech artists whose work transcended borders and shaped visual culture worldwide. This event explores the lasting impact of Alphonse Mucha\, Karel Teige\, Ladislav Sutnar\, and Miroslav Šašek—visionaries whose innovations continue to inspire designers today. \nMucha\, the pre-eminent exponent of Art Nouveau\, revolutionized visual culture in Belle Époque Paris with his iconic theatre and advertising posters\, laying the foundation for modern graphic design\, whileTeige\, a key figure of the European avant-garde\, redefined book design through bold typography and geometric compositions. Sutnar pioneered modern information design\, creating user-friendly communication systems that remain relevant today\, and Šašek’s beloved This is… series of illustrated city guides reshaped how generations of children experienced the world. \nCurator Tomoko Sato (Mucha Foundation)\, Peter Zusi (The Integrity of the Avant-Garde\, Karel Teige and the Biography of an Ambition\, Legenda 2024)\,Adrian Shaughnessy (graphic designer and RCA senior lecturer)\, and Lukáš Novotný (designer and illustrator) will shed light on how these Czech designers helped shape modern visual culture through a series of illustrated presentations\, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A. \nTomoko Sato has been curator of the Mucha Foundation since 2007\, overseeing its exhibition and research programs. Formerly curator at the Barbican Art Gallery (Barbican Centre)\, London\, she has curated a wide range of exhibitions examin- ing the art\, architecture\, design\, and photography of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries\, with a long-standing interest in the artistic and cul- tural cross-fertilization between East and West. Her publications include Japan and Britain: An Aesthetic Dialogue\, 1850–1930 (Lund Humphries\, 1991)\, The Wilde Years: Oscar Wilde and the Art of His Time (Philip Wilson\, 2000)\, Mucha (Taschen\, 2015)\, Alphonse Mucha Photographs (Mucha Foundation Publishing\, 2018)\, and Le Pater: Le Grand Oeuvre d’Alphonse Mucha (Édition de la Réunion des musées nationaux-Grand Palais\, 2023). \nPeter Zusi is Associate Professor of Czech and Comparative Literature at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies\, where he also serves as Vice Dean for Research in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. Peter’s research spans various disciplines\, including Czech and German literature and culture from the 18th through 21st centuries\, Central European intellectual history\, Czechoslovak film and photography\, Slovak literature\, theory of literary and visual avant-gardes and modernism\, philosophy of history\, Critical Theory\, and the intersection of literature and architecture. He is also the author of the recently published The Integrity of the Avant-Garde: Karel Teige and the Biography of an Ambition (Cambridge\, England: Legenda\, 2024). \nAdrian Shaughnessy is a graphic designer\, writer\, educator and publisher. A senior lecturer at the RCA\, he also works as an independent design consultant. His book How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul has sold 80\,000 copies and been translated into multiple languages. He is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale and a regular contributor to leading design journals. He co-founded Unit Editions\, publishing acclaimed design books\, and has authored monographs on Herb Lubalin\, Ken Garland\, Paula Scher\, Vaughan Oliver\, FHK Henrion and Lance Wyman. \nLukáš Novotný is an illustrator\, graphic designer and author. His background is in the world of civil engineering and architecture\, and most of his illustrations and design work relates to architecture and cities. His latest book\, Modern New York\, won 2024 Communication Arts Awards while his first book\, Modern London\, was shortlisted for the British Book Design Awards. His work was featured on BBC Radio London\, TimeOut London\, Czech Television\, Londonist\, Grand Designs magazine\, Outsider and more. \n\nAdmission: £5 (+ Eventbrite fee) see booking link below
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/pioneers-of-czech-graphic-design/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/graphic-design.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250415T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250415T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250324T150337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250326T173358Z
UID:10955-1744741800-1744749000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Prague 22 tram journey through the city
DESCRIPTION:Join Raymond Tallis on this illustrated memoir of a daily journey on tram number 22 that links his flat in Vršovice and Prague Castle. Explore with him his observations encompassing the magic\, culture and history as well as the tragedy of Prague\, interwoven by his philosophical but also humorous reflections\, and meet en route a host of prominent figures. This talk is based on Raymond’s book Prague 22: A Philosopher Takes A Tram Through a City published by Philosophy Now in 2025. \nRaymond Tallis is a philosopher\, poet\, novelist and cultural critic\, and has published widely on philosophical topics\, but prior to his retirement was Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Manchester and was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in recognition of his contribution to medical research. \nThis event will take place in person and will also be livestreamed \nBCSA members enjoy free entry but registration is essential see booking link below \nNon-members £10\, full-time students £5. Eventbrite fees will be added to the cost of your tickets at checkout. \nLight refreshments will be served after the talk. \nAll proceeds from this event will go to the BCSA School Support Fund established in 2004 to provide support for English language skills in Czech and Slovak schools and other educational institutions. For more information about our fund see www.bcsa.co.uk/school-support-fund/
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/prague-22-tram-journey-through-the-city/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Namesti-Miru-blossom-Apr22-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250408T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250408T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250128T135831Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T210655Z
UID:10768-1744137000-1744144200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:A Life in Bat'a Modernism
DESCRIPTION:Sir John Tusa\, born in Zlín\, Moravia\, talks about the influence of Modernist architecture on his life with some 50 slides of Zlín and Tilbury\, including historic videos of East Tilbury and Coronation Day celebrations.  \nTwo days before the German occupation of Czechoslovakia on 15 March 1939\, John’s father flew out of Czechoslovakia on a Bat’a company plane via Poland\, Yugoslavia and France\, becoming general manager and later managing director of the Bat’a factory and its associated village in East Tilbury. British Bat’a Shoes\, based on the Czechoslovak pattern\, created a pioneering work-living community around its model modern movement factory – estate houses\, tennis courts\, a swimming pool\, and factory buildings all in for 1930s England: a radical concept within the architecture of European High Modernism.  \n“From the Neo-Bauhaus Modernism of my birth town\, Bat’a Zlín\, to the so-called ‘Brutalism’ of the Barbican\, I have always lived comfortably with Modernism. After all\, it is the architecture of my life and times.” \nSir John Tusa is a writer\, TV journalist and arts administrator. \nTickets £15 including a glass of wine see booking link below \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/a-life-in-bata-modernism/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Zlin.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250319T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250319T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250304T172652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250306T220340Z
UID:10894-1742410800-1742416200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Míla Fürstová in conversation
DESCRIPTION:The discussion will explore the renowned Czech artist’s life and award winning art. Highly regarded for her etchings and beautiful book illustrations for Czech classics such as Kytice (a bouquet of folk legends) by Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová’s Babička (grandmother)  some of which came to be adapted as Czech postage stamps. Book illustrations for Máj (May) by Karel Hynek Mácha are her latest work. \nIn 2014 Fürstová’s work reached over 400 million people when she was commissioned to create the artwork for Coldplay’s Ghost Stories album and four singles.  \nMíla’s large-scale installation Motherhood can be found at 191 Old Marylebone Road on the site of the former Queen Charlotte’s Lying-In Hospital\, one of the first hospitals to provide medical care for unmarried women. She won Westminster City Council’s competition for the commission of the work. \nBorn in Czechoslovakia\, Míla gained an MA degree in Art\, English Language and Psychology at Charles University in Prague\, whilst simultaneously studying for a BA degree in Fine Art Printmaking at the University of Gloucestershire.  In 2001 she received a masters degree from the Royal College of Art and subsequently lectured at Coventry University and The University of Gloucestershire. Míla currently lives and works in Cheltenham. \nBCSA members enjoy free entry but registration is essential.  £10 (+ Eventbrite fee) for non-members\,  £5 (+ Eventbrite fee) for students. See booking link below. \nLight refreshments will be served. \nThis event will also be livestreamed via Zoom. \nAll proceeds from this event will go to the BCSA School Support Fund established in 2004 to provide support for English language skills in Czech and Slovak schools and other educational institutions. For more information about our fund see www.bcsa.co.uk/school-support-fund/
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/mila-furstova-in-conversation/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Mila-Furstova.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250319T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250319T184500
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250227T125925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250227T125925Z
UID:10859-1742407200-1742409900@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:BCSA Annual General Meeting 2025
DESCRIPTION:The BCSA AGM is open to all members. The agenda includes the presentation of the chair’s and financial reports for 2024 plus the election of honorary officers of the executive committee. Copies of the independently examined accounts for 2024 and the minutes of the AGM held on 20 March 2024 will be available at the meeting together with the treasurer’s report. \nThe four honorary officer posts – chair\, vice-chair\, secretary and  treasurer –  are held for one year and are subject to election at every AGM. The current chair\, Jana Nahodilova\, as well as the remaining officers\, namely Ruzena Holub\, Blanka Shrimpton and Ivona Klemensova respectively\, are willing to stand for re-election. \nCommittee members are elected for a term of three years. Jana Buresova is standing for re-election this year and Sandra Milite for election as a full member of the committee. \nAny member of the BCSA can be nominated as an honorary officer or committee member. Nomination forms can be obtained from  Blanka Shrimpton by e-mail: secretary@bcsa.co.uk and returned to her by 12 March 2025. \nPlease register your attendance\, or apologies for absence\, to secretary@bcsa.co.uk. \nThe AGM will also be livestreamed via Zoom; the  link will be made available following registration. \nMila Fürstová in conversation will follow the formal part of the evening.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/bcsa-annual-general-meeting-2025/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20150716-BCSA-Logo.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250308T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250308T213000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241019T174506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241019T174506Z
UID:10388-1741462200-1741469400@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Czech Philharmonic: Mozart\, Mahler
DESCRIPTION:The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov perform Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos with Katia and Mariella Labèque followed by Mahler’s Symphony No 5. \nMozart wrote his concerto for two pianos for himself and his sister. \nSemyon Bychkov and his Prague orchestra have attracted lavish praise for their Mahler symphony cycle. Their recording of the Symphony No 5 was the Sunday Times’ 2022 Classical Album of the Year\, conjuring ‘a musical universe of dreams and prophecies’ full of ‘sonic opulence with textural clarity’ with its achingly poignant Adagietto made famous by Visconti in his film Death in Venice.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/czech-philharmonic-mozart-mahler/
LOCATION:Barbican Centre\, Silk Street\, London\, EC2Y 8DS\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Czech-Philharmonic-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250308T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250308T180000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250115T120849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250115T120849Z
UID:10707-1741456800-1741456800@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Second Czech-Slovak ball
DESCRIPTION:Following a successful first year\, we invite you once again to a new edition of the traditional Czech-Slovak ball! \nWhat to Expect: A four-course dinner + welcome drink upon arrival Live performance by the folk band Morena Exciting tombola prizes Music and entertainment hosted by DJ Janci & Fero Dress Code: Black Tie \n Tickets: £50 per person see booking link below
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/second-czech-slovak-ball/
LOCATION:Bohemia House\, 74 West End Lane\, London\, NW6 2LX\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250307T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250307T213000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241019T173204Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241019T174606Z
UID:10386-1741375800-1741383000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Czech Philharmonic: Shostakovich
DESCRIPTION:An orchestra blazing burnished colours\, rich string tone\, and boundless refinement\, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov performs Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1 with Sheku Kanneh-Mason followed by Symphony No 5. \nShostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1 holds a special place in Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s heart – with it he secured the title of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016. His 2023 performance ‘had the feel of chamber music as if the strings were consoling a colleague who was sharing the depths of his\, and the music’s\, soul’ (Bachtrack). And ‘the players of the marvelous Czech Philharmonic bring the piece to life as few\, if any\, orchestras have before or since’ (Classics Today). \nThe ovation that greeted the 1937 premiere of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony lasted over an hour – perhaps fuelled by its agonisingly intense slow movement and the triumphal ending – though its deeper meaning is fraught with ambiguity. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/czech-philharmonic-shostakovich/
LOCATION:Barbican Centre\, Silk Street\, London\, EC2Y 8DS\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Czech-Philharmonic-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250206T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250206T213000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250109T125428Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250109T125428Z
UID:10675-1738868400-1738877400@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Celebrating Jan Svěrák’s 60th
DESCRIPTION:In 1997\, Czech filmmaker Jan Svěrák and UK-based producer Eric Abraham captivated the world when their heartfelt masterpiece Kolya  won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Written by Jan’s father\, Zdeněk Svěrák\, Kolya became a landmark moment in their celebrated father-son collaboration. But Jan’s journey to Oscar glory began much earlier—with a Student Academy Award in 1988 for his inventive environmental mockumentary Oil Gobblers and the Oscar nomination for Elementary school in 1991. \nNow\, as Jan Svěrák celebrates his 60th birthday\, join us for a special double bill of Kolya and Oil Gobblers\, introduced by multi-award-winning producer Eric Abraham. Eric will share behind-the-scenes stories from their groundbreaking partnership\, which began with Kolya and continued with acclaimed films like Dark Blue World\, Kooky\, and Empties. Don’t miss this opportunity to revisit two extraordinary films and celebrate Jan’s birthday with us. \nOil Gobblers\nJan Svěrák\, Czechoslovakia 1988\, 22´\nCast: Emil Nedbal\, Lubomír Beneš\, Ivo Kašpar\, Jan Rokyta\, Jiří Němec \nIn 1987 northern Bohemia\, a team investigates “Petroleus Mostensis\,” a mythical creature devouring polyethylene in a toxic industrial wasteland. Blending satire and environmental critique\, Jan Svěrák’s student film spotlights Czechoslovakia’s ecological destruction. Amid humour and drama\, the mockumentary exposes the consequences of unchecked industrial exploitation. 60 \nKolya\nJan Svěrák\, Czech Republic\, 1996\, 105´\nCast: Zdeněk Svěrák\, Andrej Chalimon\, Libuse Safránková\, Ondrej Vetchý \n“Enchanting…Kolya deserves all its international success.” The Times \n“What makes “Kolya” special is the way it paints the details. Like the films of the Czech New Wave in the late 1960s\, it has a cheerful\, irreverent humour\, and an eye for the absurdities of human behaviour.” Roger Ebert \nOscar® Winner Best Foreign Film (1996). The middle-aged Czech cellist Josef Louka is a skirt-chasing bachelor\, who enjoys a lifestyle free of responsibilities. Strapped for cash he agrees to a marriage of convenience. But after his new bride skips town\, he is left to father her five-year-old Russian son\, Kolya. Neither could be more unhappy with their predicament\, especially since they don’t even speak the same language. But time and patience form an unbreakable bond between this unlikely father-son duo. \n\nAdmission: £7 (+ Eventbrite fee) see booking link below
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/celebrating-jan-sveraks-60th/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jan-Sverak.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250204T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250204T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241126T102734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250104T222703Z
UID:10529-1738693800-1738701000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:BCSA Quiz Night
DESCRIPTION:Did you know that 4th February is the Day of Czechs Abroad? To celebrate in style\, we are holding another BCSA Pub Quiz. \nThis is your chance to show off your knowledge of anything and everything British\, Czech and Slovak. Test yourself about how much you know about British\, Czech and Slovak connections at this unique quiz presented by the British Czech and Slovak Association (BCSA). \nGather you friends and join us for a fun evening and a friendly competition at Bohemia House in West Hampstead. Food and drinks are available for purchase. \nWest Hampstead has three stations served by the Jubilee line\, Overground and Thameslink. \nBCSA members and full time students: £3 \nNon-members £5 \nEventbrite fees will be added to the cost of your tickets at checkout. \nIf you book 2 or more tickets\, we will assume that everyone would like to sit at the same table\, i.e. be on the same team. \nIf you book a ticket for yourself only\, please let us know the name of the person you would like to be on the same team with. Alternatively\, you can tell us about your strengths in terms of your knowledge and we will team you up with a player with complementary expertise. \nWest Hampstead has three stations served by the Jubilee line\, Overground and Thameslink. \nAll proceeds from this event will go to the BCSA School Support Fund established in 2004 to provide support for English language skills in Czech and Slovak schools and other educational institutions.  \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/bcsa-quiz-night/
LOCATION:Bohemia House\, 74 West End Lane\, London\, NW6 2LX\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/quiz-night.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250203T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250203T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250124T153057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250125T160021Z
UID:10754-1738607400-1738614600@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Reflections on the 80th Anniversary of the Yalta Agreement
DESCRIPTION:Join us on the very eve of the Yalta Agreement\, to consider some of the seemingly disparate events that preceded and led to the crucial and far-reaching meetings\, held from 4-11 February 1945. Yalta\, then a small place close to the Black Sea\, but of immense significance regarding the political\, economic and societal future of the post-war world. \nFocusing on Europe\, Dr Thomas Lorman (SSEES) will present an overview of the Yalta Agreement\, its impact and some of its consequences\, and also refer to Hungary. Mimi Kuttelwascherová will cover of the three powers’ experiences at the meetings follows. Gerry Manolas\, chair Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans\, will speak of their sacrifice and show part of historian Dr George Scott’s film\, ‘Good Intensions’. Yalta’s impact on Poland will also be discussed and to conclude\, Mimi Kuttelwascherová shall briefly describe her involvement in London’s Yalta Memorial\, ‘Our Statue of Liberty’. \nThis illustrated panel discussion will take place in person and will also be livestreamed. \nBCSA members enjoy free entry but registration is essential see booking link below. \nNon-members £10\, full-time students £5. \nEventbrite fees will be added to the cost of your tickets at checkout. \nLight refreshments will be served afterwards. \nAll proceeds from this event will go to the BCSA School Support Fund established in 2004 to provide support for English language skills in Czech and Slovak schools and other educational institutions. For more information about our fund see https://www.bcsa.co.uk/school-support-fund/ \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/reflections-on-the-80th-anniversary-of-the-yalta-agreement/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Yalta-1.jpg.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250130T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250130T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241115T105317Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241127T162236Z
UID:10491-1738261800-1738269000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Robert Bruce Lockhart “Best Friend the Czechs Ever Had”
DESCRIPTION:Robert Bruce Lockhart had an extraordinary career. In 1918\, he served as the British Government’s “Agent” in Bolshevik Russia and orchestrated a brazen plot to topple Vladimir Lenin’s regime. The plot’s failure resulted in Lockhart’s imprisonment in the Kremlin before returning to Britain in disgrace. He was subsequently posted to the Prague Legation – the hub of ‘Eastern’ Europe’s post-war reconstruction. \nLockhart was not to know that his arrival in the newly created Czechoslovakia would lead to his enduring affection for the Czech people\, a lifelong friendship with Jan and Tomáš Masaryk and a willingness to defend their country from Nazi and Communist aggression for years to come. \nThis talk explores Lockhart’s service as Britain’s representative to the Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile during World War Two\, his work with the Special Operations Executive and the Czech resistance and his attempts\, following the Communist coup of 1948\, to use his gifts as a propagandist and practitioner of psychological warfare to rally the Czechs in the face of Soviet expansionism. \nJames Crossland is a Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University\, with a specialism in the history of intelligence\, propaganda and terrorism. His latest book – the product of a decade of research – is Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare\, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart (Elliot & Thompson\, 2024). \nThis event will take place in person and will also be livestreamed \nLight refreshments will be served \nBCSA members enjoy free entry but registration is essential. \nNon-members £10\, full-time students £5. \nEventbrite fees will be added to the cost of your tickets at checkout\, see booking link below \nAll proceeds from this event will go to the BCSA School Support Fund established in 2004 to provide support for English language skills in Czech and Slovak schools and other educational institutions. For more information about our fund see www.bcsa.co.uk/school-support-fund/
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/robert-bruce-lockhart/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Lockhart.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250128T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250128T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241015T150653Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241015T150653Z
UID:10378-1738089000-1738096200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Courier: my life as a spy in communist Czechoslovakia
DESCRIPTION:This talk by Professor Mark Cornwall explores the subject of secret police surveillance in communist Czechoslovakia in the 1980s. Prof. Cornwall draws on his own surveillance file\, asking why\, when and where he was being followed and assessed by the StB (the Czechoslovak security police). He then widens the focus to evaluate the general methods of StB information-gathering during the last years of communism. \nWho were the StB informers\, and how far can we speak of an efficient system of vigilance\, especially of foreign visitors to the country? Although so much of the StB archive was deliberately destroyed in December 1989\, the talk reveals what can still be learnt from scrutinizing some personal case studies. It thereby offers some deeper suggestions about the actual (in)stability of the late communist regime in the build up to the Velvet Revolution. \nMark Cornwall is Emeritus Professor of Modern European History at the University of Southampton. He has researched and taught modern Czech history for over 30 years\, and lived in Czechoslovakia in the late 1980s. He is currently researching the communist secret police (StB)\, and also writing a book about treason\, including Czech traitors\, in the late Habsburg Empire. In 2022 the Czech Academy of Sciences awarded Prof. Cornwall the ‘Palacký Medal for Merit in the Historical Sciences’ for his work on Czech history. \nTickets £15 including a glass of wine. See booking link below.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/courier-my-life-as-a-spy-in-communist-czechoslovakia/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spy-Cornwall.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250128T174500
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250128T184500
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20250111T124012Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T124012Z
UID:10681-1738086300-1738089900@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:1945 Yalta Conference
DESCRIPTION:February 2025 marks the 80th Anniversary of the Yalta Conference which led to countless people perishing behind the Iron Curtain when they were repatriated to the USSR at the conclusion of the Second World War. \nYou are warmly welcomed to attend an exhibition at Kensington Central Library curated by the archivist\, Sophia Hall\, and a talk by Mimi Kuttelwascherova and Dr Jana Buresova exploring the impact of the Yalta Conference and the importance of the Yalta Memorial\, the Twelve Responses to Tragedy\, located in the Yalta Memorial Garden on Cromwell Road in South Kensington. \nMimi Kuttelwascherova\nHer story “Good bye King Wenceslaus” was a winner in The Penguin 2007 Decibel prize: true stories of immigrants. \nDr Jana Buresova\nDr Jana Buresova has spoken and published about exile-related issues and is the author of The Dynamics of Forced Female Migration from Czechoslovakia to Britain\, 1938-1950. \n  \n\n\nThe event is free and will be held in the Lecture Theatre in Kensington Central Library. Please register via the Eventbrite link below.
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/1945-yalta-conference/
LOCATION:Kensington Central Library\, 12 Phillimore Walk\, London\, W8 7RX\, United Kingdom
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Yalta.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250123T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250123T210000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241218T155553Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241218T155553Z
UID:10620-1737658800-1737666000@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Hungarian Dressmaker
DESCRIPTION:Marika\, a Hungarian widow dressmaker shelters a little Czech Jewish boy in her home on the Slovak-Hungarian border during the turbulent years of WW2 and the wartime Slovak State. Based on Peter Krištúfek’s novella Emma and the Death’s Head and inspired by true events\, the screening marks the Holocaust Memorial Day. \nIt’s the 1940s. The Slovak state witnesses the rise of nationalism and it’s not an auspicious time for minorities. The turbulent social mood also impacts the widow Marika\, who loses her job in an Aryanised dressmaker’s shop. Given the increasing anti-Hungarian sentiment\, she shuts herself away\, particularly since she is also harbouring a little Jewish boy. Despite this\, she still finds herself singled out by two men: a German Nazi officer and a captain of Slovakia’s Hlinka Guard. This drama by Slovak director Iveta Grófová is an adaptation of the novella by Peter Krištúfek\, which conjures up the dramatic atmosphere of wartime Slovakia. The story of a fragmented era\, which forces the protagonists to confront complex dilemmas\, is told not only through words but also by way of a powerful visual language. \nIveta Grófová\, Czech Republic/Slovakia\, 2024\, 129‘\nCast Alexandra Borbély\, Nico Klimek\, Milan Ondrík\, Alexander E. Fennon \nTickets £8.30 see booking link below \n  \nPremiered at the Crystal Globe Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2024\n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/the-hungarian-dressmaker/
LOCATION:Czech Embassy cinema\, 26 Kensington Palace Gardens\, London\, W8 4QY
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hungarian-dressmaker.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250115T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250201T220000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241105T215338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241105T215338Z
UID:10454-1736967600-1738447200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Jenůfa
DESCRIPTION:Jenůfa is keeping secret from everyone that she is pregnant by Števa\, whom she loves despite his drinking and womanising. Jenůfa’s stepmother\, Kostelnička\, had a violent\, alcoholic husband and tells Števa he won’t be allowed to marry Jenůfa unless he stays sober for a year. Števa’s overbearing behaviour towards Jenůfa angers Laca\, who loves Jenůfa and is jealous. When Jenůfa defends Števa\, Laca becomes enraged. They struggle and he slashes her face with a knife. \nMonths later\, Kostelnička and Jenůfa conspire to keep the birth of Jenůfa’s illegitimate baby secret. Števa knows he has a son\, but refuses to marry Jenůfa now her face is disfigured. Laca offers to save Jenůfa’s reputation and marry her\, but is reluctant to take on Števa’s child. Kostelnička tells both Laca and Jenůfa that the baby died while Jenůfa slept. But on Jenůfa’s wedding day the terrible truth is revealed. \nCorinne Winters (Jenůfa) and Karita Mattila ( Kostelnička) lead in Janáček’s evocative opera with a score that is infused with traditional folk melodies of the composer’s native Moravia. Music Director Designate Jakub Hrůša conducts Claus Guth’s staging which is an ‘edgy\, evocative’ (Telegraph) take on this poignant domestic drama. \nSung in Czech with English surtitles \nPerformances: 15\, 18\, 23\, 27\, 30 January and 1 February \n  \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/jenufa-4/
LOCATION:Royal Opera House
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Jenufa-ROH.webp
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241221T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250421T180000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241221T164339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241221T164339Z
UID:10636-1734775200-1745258400@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:“Hello Citizens!” („Ahoj občani!")
DESCRIPTION:„Ahoj občani!” (“Hello\, citizens!”) was how Karel Kryl greeted the audience after his emotional return to Czechoslovakia from exile in December 1989. \nAn exhibition celebrating the legendary protest singer Karel Kryl marks two important anniversaries: the 80th anniversary of his birth and 30 years since his death. It offers an intimate look into his life and work\, featuring items from his personal estate\, recently donated to the National Archives by his wife. On display are previously unpublished manuscripts\, drawings\, photographs\, and oil paintings\, but also personal treasures\, like the guitar he played at his final concert in Chomutov on February 25\, 1994 just a week before his untimely death. \nSinger\, songwriter\, and poet\, Kryl was one of the leading voices of protest in Czechoslovakia. His music captured the frustrations of the nation after the Soviet-led invasion in August 1968. His iconic song ‘Bratříčku\, zavírej vrátka’ (‘Close the Gate\, Brother’)\, written immediately after the invasion\, became an anthem for the occupied country. In 1969\, Kryl emigrated to Germany\, where he worked as a journalist for Radio Free Europe\, but also continued to sing and compose. \nKarel Kryl passed away in Munich in March 1994\, but his legacy lives on. His songs are still sung in pubs and around campfires\, even by younger generations who never experienced the world he sang about. \nTuesday–Sunday: 10 am–6 pm
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/hello-citizens-ahoj-obcani/
LOCATION:Dům U Zlatého prstenu\, Týnská 630/6\, Prague\, Czech Republic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kryl.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241221T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250330T180000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241221T162344Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241221T162344Z
UID:10630-1734775200-1743357600@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Josef Koudelka Ruins
DESCRIPTION:The photographs of Josef Koudelka’s latest series were made over many years\, from 1991 to 2017\, at more than 200 archaeological sites in the Mediterranean\, including Albania\, Algeria\, Bulgaria\, Croatia\, Cyprus\, Egypt\, France\, Greece\, Israel\, Italy\, Jordan\, Lebanon\, Libya\, Morocco\, Portugal\, Slovenia\, Spain\, Syria\, Tunisia\, and Turkey. To accompany the exhibition\, a Czech-English volume is being published with articles by the Czech art historian Tomáš Pospěch and the French archaeologist Alain Schnapp. The volume contains 40 pictures\, which is a narrow selection identical with the large panoramic photographs shown at the exhibition. The photographs from the Ruins project are part of the generous gift of roughly 2\,500 photographs of his life’s work\, which Mr Koudelka has presented to the Museum over the past few years. \nMr. Koudelka was born in the Moravian town of Boskovice in 1938\, and became interested in photography from a young age. After finishing a degree at the Czech Technical University in Prague in 1961\, he set off on travels through rural parts of Czechoslovakia\, Romania\, Hungary\, France and Spain\, photographing as he went\, with a particular focus on documenting the lives of the Roma in those countries. \nHe arrived back in Czechoslovakia shortly before the Warsaw-Pact Invasion of 1968. His pictures of that historic event were smuggled out of the country\, and were distributed abroad. For the sake of safety\, Mr. Koudelka was credited only as “P.P.” (‘Prague Photographer’). He fled to the UK in 1970\, becoming a member of the prestigious international agency Magnum Photos\, and a French citizen in 1987. \nOpening Hours\nTuesday 10 a.m.–8 p.m.\nWednesday – Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.\nMonday closed
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/josef-koudelka-ruins/
LOCATION:Museum of Decorative Arts\, 17 listopadu 2\, Prague 1\, 17 listopadu 2\, Prague 1\, Czech Republic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Koudelka.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241219T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241219T203000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20241218T154354Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241218T154354Z
UID:10616-1734634800-1734640200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Let's bake Czech Christmas cookies
DESCRIPTION:Join our expert baker\, chef and nutritional therapist Linda North for festive fun as we explore the enchanting world of Czech Christmas cookies with easy-to-follow\, flavourful recipes that are sure to become holiday favourites. These traditional treats are not only delicious but also fun to create and share with loved ones. So\, let’s roll up our sleeves and start baking some festive magic! \n\n\nLinda North is a plant-based chef and nutritional therapist at the Green Gut. She is passionate about crafting vibrant\, plant-based recipes that make healthy eating easy and enjoyable. With a background in nutritional therapy\, she’s focused on showing how the right food choices can positively impact mood and well-being. \n\n\nThis event takes place on Zoom. All registered participants will receive a Zoom link and a list of ingredients that they will need to get before the event. \n\n\nPLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT IS FREE TO ALL WHO REGISTER AS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM THE BCSA. \nsee registration link below
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/lets-bake-czech-christmas-cookies/
CATEGORIES:BCSA Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CZECH-CHRISTMAS-BAKING-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241130T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241130T213000
DTSTAMP:20260411T094307
CREATED:20240825T150921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240825T150921Z
UID:10214-1732995000-1733002200@www.bcsa.co.uk
SUMMARY:Pavel Šporcl
DESCRIPTION:Czech violinist Pavel Šporcl creates sparks with the English Chamber Orchestra in an animated programme celebrating the Year of Czech Music 2024. \nDvorak’s Violin Concerto is a marvellous example of the great Czech composer incorporating the spirit of his homeland into a concert work that has charmed violinists and audiences around the world. And his Bohemian spirit also shines through in Symphony No. 8\, one of his most energetic and playful works. \nThe English Chamber Orchestra is conducted by their Principal Guest Conductor\, Roberto Fores Veses in this unmissable concert\, which also includes works by Faure and Saint-Saens\, and explores the close connection between the Prague and Paris Conservatories. \nRepertoire\nFauré: Suite\, Masques et bergamasques \nDvořák: Violin Concerto \nInterval \nSaint-Saëns: Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso in A minor\, Op.28 \nDvořák: Symphony No.8 \n  \n 
URL:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/event/pavel-sporcl/
LOCATION:Queen Elizabeth Hall\, Southbank Centre\,
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Sprocl-cropped.png
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END:VCALENDAR