Czech cultural week at St James Cavalier

A Czech cultural week is being held at St James Cavalier, Valletta between October 19 and 25. It is being organised by the consulate of the Czech Republic in Malta, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Rome and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of tickets for the various performances will be donated to the Malta Community Chest Fund.

Tonio Casapinta, honorary consul of the Czech Republic, explained that the cultural week was to strengthen relations between the two countries. Months of preparation had gone into the programme, which is aimed at offering something to suit all tastes, he told a press conference last week.

The week will open with a concert by the Czech music group Gajdosi of Brno, accompanied by flute and guitar player Stanislav Bahaldo, who will be performing for the public in Republic Street, Valletta. He will also give an evening lecture on Czech Baroque arts and music.

The group, made up of four musicians, will be performing Renaissance and old Czech tunes, with the use of strings, guitar and different types of flute, bagpipes and percussion.

The cultural week will also include an exhibition on the history and beauty of the Czech Republic and a photographic show of hidden treasures in the Czech country by Josef Bronz.

Youth and the Arts Minister Jesmond Mugliett, accompanied by Libor Secka, Czech Ambassador to Malta, will officially open the exhibition on October 20, at the Atrium of St James. He will also be delivering a paper entitled The Czech Republic Partner with Malta in the European Union, on Wednesday October 22 at the Chamber of Commerce in Valletta. A travel trade business meeting will be organised by the Czech Tourism Authority on October 23.

A Czech Film Festival will be held at the St James Cavalier cinema, projecting films by award-winning director and producer Jan Sverak. The films are Dark Blue World, The Elementary School, Koyla and The Accumulator I. Tickets for the film shows are available at the box office of St James Cavalier.

Corinthia Hotels International, the event's main sponsors, will be offering accommodation to the artists and will be organising the Czech cuisine events on October 20 (a food and drink evening at the Caprice Lounge) and on October 22 (a gala evening at the Corinthia Palace Hotel) utilising chefs from the Corinthia Group's Hotel Panorama in Prague. Bookings for such evenings can be made from the Corinthia Palace Hotel, Attard.

Czech jazz pianist Milan Svoboda will also be giving concerts in the Music Room on October 23 and 25 at 7.30 p.m.

The highlight of the cultural week will be the visit of Dr Pavel Bem, mayor of Prague, who will be holding meetings with various VIPs during his stay. He will also be unveiling a monument to commemorate the occasion of the inauguration of Prague Square in Gharb.

Czech Cultural Week is sponsored by the Prague city council, the Czech Tourism Authority, Corinthia Hotels International and Fischer Air sro.