The Šibalky products (source: Facebook/Trenčiansky samosprávny kraj)
Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Students’ idea for using wool is awarded abroad
The enterprising students behind the Šibalky project (source: Trenčiansky samosprávny kraj)
Slovak students have found a unique way to use wool in the most ecological way possible.
After finding out about the problems that the wool trades face on the market, students from the Secondary Vocational School of Trade and Services in Nové Mesto nad Váhom, in western Slovakia, started producing handmade dryer balls, made of 100-percent fleece. Dryer balls are used in electric clothes dryers to prevent clothing from clumping and wrinkling , thereby reducing drying time.
To make the balls, they decided to use the dry felting method, which is more ecological than the wet method, which uses huge amounts of water.
“Breeders will have a market for sheared wool and the customer will receive several benefits,” the Trenčín Self-Governing Region wrote on its website. Apart from dryer balls, students started producing ecological scents for wardrobes, cars and offices – felted wool balls sprinkled with essential oils or perfumed compositions.
The students created their own student company, Šibalky, which, with the help of the non-governmental organisation Junior Achievement (JA) Slovakia, simulates the operation of a joint-stock company. At the Business Talent Fair competition, held in Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic, they placed second in the Best Student JA Company category, and third in the Best Stand category.
Sisters from Kyiv find success in Bratislava
One of the dishes served at the Inside restaurant. (source: Inside reštaurácia)
Shortly after two sisters from Kyiv opened a new family restaurant, Inside, in February 2023 it became a sensation. It is now one of the best-rated dining locations in the Slovak capital.
The restaurant offers traditional Ukrainian dishes, such as Ukrainian borscht or vareniki.
“Since the very beginning, we’ve been trying to create a place where our guests could feel comfortable and spend their free time nicely,” said Ksenia Syshchenko and Alena Muntiyan, as quoted by the Dobré Noviny website. “Our aim was to create an atmosphere where everybody would feel like home, and would enjoy a nice time with their family, friends or colleagues.”
The restaurant hosts also business meetings, seminars, games and thematic events. It issues its own unique newspaper, called Insider. At the same time, the owners are helping their fellow countrymen, Dobré Noviny reported.
Ninth gold for Slovak postal operator
The virtual catalogue presenting Slovakia via postage stamps. (source: Courtesy of Slovenská pošta)
Slovakia’s national postal operator, Slovenská Pošta, can boast another international success.
It won its ninth gold at a prestigious international competition organised by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the specialised United Nations agency that governs postal operators.
The competition was part of the Thailand 2023 World Stamp Exhibition, held in Bangkok between November 27 and December 2, 2023. Slovenská Pošta won in the “A” competition class for postal operators with a smaller volume of issues (i.e. less than 30 stamps per year), with a display titled Holidays in Slovakia.
It contained 16 sheets of paper (A4 format) with stamps issued over the past three years. It took the form of a virtual travel agency catalogue that presented Slovakia’s regions via postal stamps, Slovenská Pošta wrote on Facebook.
Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator to read:
American singer and activist Joan Baez is living proof that art and an engaged stance can influence many things, said Slovakia’s President Zuzana Čaputová. She honoured the artist with a state decoration for her exceptional contributions to human rights and freedoms in Slovakia.
A Colombian student ended up in hospital after suffering a brain haemorrhage, with his medical expenses soaring. Numerous people rallied to support him and his family.
Oleksandr Vertii, born in Odessa, currently trains about 30 children, both Slovak and Ukrainian, in the Slovak capital. He believes that a kids’ coach should offer a wide range of activities to help children grow and stay engaged and occupied.
A metal replica of the first car made in Slovakia, called Drndička because of the distinct rumble it made, has been unveiled in the village of Hronský Beňadik, central Slovakia.
A Czech-Slovak archaeological team discovering a new ancient Mayan urban centre, Slovak team finding the moat of Ramesses III’s fortress in Egypt, or an innovative method of binding ceramic materials. Check out the overview of the latest successes in science.
Political meme of the week
(source: Hej, ty! – Györe)
Coalition MPs, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico (depicted in the cartoon above) approved an extensive amendment to the Penal Code and other related laws, including the Criminal Procedure Law, on February 8, despite the opposition’s objections in the parliament, huge public protests across Slovakia and criticism from Brussels. The new law will cancel the Special Prosecutor’s Office and reduce sentences for financial crimes, among other things.
You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: radka.minarechova@spectator.sk. Thank you!
