Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Slovak kindergartener charms everyone in Vancouver
Slovakia made waves at the 32nd International Cartographic Conference in Vancouver, thanks to a five-year-old mapmaker. Michaela Mičicová, from the kindergarten in Kátov, a village in western Slovakia, took first place in the youngest category in the children's map contest. Her map, featuring cheerful little figures cycling around the world, won first prize in the youngest age category of the prestigious Barbara Petchenik Children’s Map Competition.
This year’s contest attracted 180 creative entries from 34 countries, but Michaela’s playful vision caught the eye of the international jury. "A globe brought to life with little cyclists on their global adventure — it truly charmed everyone," said Monika Tináková, spokesperson for the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
Young Slovak designer becomes a favourite for global celebrities
Dominika Kozáková creates designs full of colour, fun and bold imagination. Only 29, her work is already in the wardrobes of international stars like Rosalía, Shygirl, Bad Gyal, and Eurovision 2024 winner NEMO. Think ruffles that roar, cat-inspired hats that charm, and textures that feel alive – every piece tells a story, sparks curiosity and makes a statement without saying a word.
From her studio, Kozáková has spent the past six years turning her playful ideas into a global fashion brand. She’s a regular at Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week, has appeared in major magazines like Vogue Italia, Dazed, and I-D, and became the first Slovak designer on online retailer Zalando. But beyond the headlines, it’s the magic of connection that fuels her: a handmade hat gifted to Rosalía, the playful textures worn by Shygirl – these are dreams stitched into reality. "Fashion is a language," she says, "and every piece I create is a sentence, a story, a heartbeat you can wear."
Her next collection promises to be her most enchanting yet. Soft, layered textures meet bold, sculptural forms, exploring the delicate dance between fragility and strength. Nature’s cycles, personal memories, and whispered stories seep into every thread. Kozáková says she designs for more than style – also for feeling, for confidence, and for joy.
Mark Rutte’s office just got a personal touch from Orava
It’s not every day that the secretary general of NATO gets a hand-delivered painting from Slovakia. But that’s exactly what happened in Mons, when Luka Brase, an artist from Dolný Kubín, a town in the northern region of Orava, walked into NATO headquarters in Belgium with a gift for Mark Rutte – a painting that might have done more for foreign relations than a dozen official visits.
Brase spent years living in The Hague, Rutte’s hometown, and that’s where the inspiration came from. His canvas shows a familiar city view, washed in bold Dutch orange. Look closer and you’ll find details with a personal twist: a piano and a musical note that recall Rutte’s youthful ambition to become a concert pianist, and even a subtle nod to his favourite book, The Power Broker.
The surprise worked. Rutte was clearly touched, and the painting went straight onto the wall of his office instead of into storage. For Brase, this wasn’t just a one-off gift: he sees it as a first step toward creating a large-scale artwork for NATO that would bring together symbols from all member states. Politics may be about power, but here it came wrapped in colour and culture.
Some feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator for you to enjoy:
Slovakia is about to go digital at the border with the new EU Entry/Exit System.
Trenčín is getting ready for the European spotlight, and now you can too.
She's coming to visit Slovakia, her motherland, for the first time.
After life on the street, famous bodybuilder Adam Cibuľa trains for a comeback.
Slovakia’s capital climbs high with a top 10 world office ranking.
Discover Kysuce’s breathtaking peaks on these five epic ridge hikes.
Slovak-American Mary Knight on the importance of maintaining heritage in the family.
‘They carried Slovakia in their hearts’: US donor funds statue to emigrants from his ancestral village.
Meme of the week
Caption: When the nearest folklore festival that you won't be jeered at is in New Jersey.
(Greetings from Východná)
We've tried our best to shift the meme topic from consolidation, so here’s a fresh gem making Slovak social media chuckle. The photo shows Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová at the Slovak Heritage Festival in New Jersey, USA. The meme alludes to the raucous reception the controversial politician received at a folk festival in Slovakia this summer.
The backstory to her appearance in New Jersey makes the tale even more piquant. Šimkovičová wanted to fly on a government jet to the US with President Pellegrini, but it was full, so she went commercial – in luxury, and at extraordinary expense. Netizens couldn’t resist: the minister acting like a VIP tourist, just to find applause somewhere domestic critics won’t mock her.
And of course, the meme doubles as a tiny critique of politics and media from Slovakia. While the home audience grumbles over expenses, New Jersey Slovaks welcome her like royalty. Because when life closes one door, there’s always a folklore festival across the Atlantic to open another!
You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: elizaveta.blahodarova@spectator.sk. Thank you.
