Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Arabs fete Slovak photographer for his stunning images
Filip Hrebenda has been wowing Dubai with his nature photographs. (source: TV Noviny )
Filip Hrebenda, a young photographer from Revúca, is impressing some of the richest citizens of the Arab states with his work. In Dubai, he was given a solo exhibition at the world’s largest photography festival, where he showcased Slovakia and delivered a lecture. He returned home with a prestigious photography award and some unforgettable experiences.
“The exhibition, Elements of Our Earth, highlighted the need to protect nature’s beautiful elements, like fire and water,” Hrebenda explained. “I also wanted to show how stunning Slovakia is.”
The Sultan of Sharjah, one the United Arab Emirates, invested $25 million in a venue and even asked the photographer to choose the wall colours and seating for his pavilion. Hrebenda said he was treated like family.
His breathtaking shots from the Rysy mountain peaks captivated visitors. “They kept asking where these landscapes were, amazed that such beauty existed. Many said they wanted to visit Slovakia after seeing my photos,” Hrebenda added.
Treasures from millions of years ago unearthed in Kysuce region
The Kysuce region in northwestern Slovakia holds fascinating traces of the distant past. Recent posts on the Kysuce Protected Landscape Area Facebook page highlighted rock formations containing the fossilized remains of prehistoric creatures, including ammonites, which date back to the age of the dinosaurs. Millions of years ago, this area was covered by a sea filled with marine life.
These ammonites are valuable fossils that help scientists study the evolution of prehistoric oceans and determine the age of surrounding rocks. Similar discoveries have been made in other regions of Slovakia, including Oravský Podzámok, Marianka and Červený Kláštor, as well as locations near Silická Brezová, Tisovec and Východná.
A new star of eastern Slovakia! This talented musician is only 4 years old
Four-year-old drummer Gabko. (source: TV JOJ)
Many talented Slovak musicians come from eastern Slovakia, and young Gabko is no exception. At the age of just four, he might have a few more years to wait before stepping onto the global stage, but it seems that the Slovak music scene is already nurturing another rising star.
Gabko is a prodigy — he can play multiple instruments, sing, and has an incredible ability to recall any sound he hears. The Noviny.sk portal recently featured a report about him, highlighting his impressive musical talents.
Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator for you to enjoy:
Slovakia’s EV charging leader has attracted a major global investor.
A small cube doing big things: a Slovak satellite makes waves in astrophysics.
Bratislava’s Nové Mesto borough will soon have its own skatepark, next to Kuchajda lake.
Eva Staroňová built a career in modelling but found her true calling in cultural diplomacy — now she is on a mission to showcase Slovakia to the world.
Orava’s newest lookout spot offers panoramic views of the Roháče Range.
Meme of the week
Caption: Voters – When a Smer leader does not add his villa in Croatia to his official property declaration – When a neighbour buys a new car.
The satirists at Zomri this week chose to contrast the apparent imperturbability of supporters of the Smer party when confronted with evidence of party leaders' concealed wealth, and their fury when observing perceived challenges to their own personal status.
Last week, Croatian tabloids published unverified claims that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico owns a villa in Croatia. Igor Matovič, leader of the opposition party Slovensko, travelled to Croatia and on Friday stated that he had found Fico’s house, which, according to the land registry is officially owned by Matej Gocník and Matúš Moravčík.
Meanwhile, another Croatian villa, this one revealed by news website Aktuality.sk to be owned by Smer Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák, has been in the spotlight. On Braňo Závodský Live, a radio talk show, Kaliňák confirmed that he had now declared the property, noting that the villa’s current value is around half a million euros, with land worth €200,000 to €300,000. Kaliňák emphasised that he is ready to pay a fine for having failed to list the villa in his official property declaration.
You can send me your tips for good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: kseniia.husieva@spectator.sk. Thank you!
