Czech Update

Czech Republic experiencing biggest Baby Boom in 25 years

Dominik Lukeš — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:10:10 +0000

More than 10,000 more people were born in the Czech Republic than died which is the most since 1983. The 114 thousand newly borns take the total number of inhabitants to 10 million 381 thouthsand. This upward trend has been going on for the last 5 years. read more »

Dictionary of Czech culture

Dominik Lukeš — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 21:56:48 +0100

The Amazon reviewer got it right! read more »

How have Czech values changed?

Dominik Lukeš — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 21:55:17 +0100

If you're wondering about what Czech views on this or that are, you could do worse than going to the excellent World Values Survey and use their read more »

Fostering but not adoption for Czech gay couples

Dominik Lukeš — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 09:53:35 +0000

I homosexuální páry můžou vychovávat děti - iDNES.cz I dva homosexuální muži mají šanci legálně vychovávat dítě. Tou možností je pěstounská péče. Zatímco české zákony zakazují gay párům adoptovat dítě, pěstounskou péči mají povolenou stejně jako smíšená manželství.

Czech law does not allow for gay couples to adopt but it is possible for them to become foster parents. This article describes the first gay couple who is going through the approval process. read more »

Czechs finally get the wedding planner

Dominik Lukeš — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:02:59 +0000

Weddings arranged by agencies increasingly popular in Czech Republic - 13-02-2007 - Radio Prague If you have been to a Czech wedding any time in the last few decades, you are probably familiar with the classic format: the same bleak communist-era town hall with an uninterested official repeating the same old clichés, the same Wedding March, and even the exact same menu in a local restaurant afterwards. But just as so many other things have changed in Czech society in recent years, Czechs weddings, too, are becoming a whole different affair.

Czech children not poor, but have emotional problems - UNICEF

Dominik Lukeš — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:45:00 +0000

Czech children not poor, but have emotional problems - UNICEF Czech children do not suffer from poverty and they have good health care and education as compared to children from some two tens of developed countries, but they have more problems in relations with parents and peers, according to a study that UNICEF released today.

Czech Republic came 11th in the overall score beating USA, France and UK (all three often featured as role models in socio-economic areas). Czechs were 11th, 10th and 9th in financial position, health and education respectively and it's infant mortality rates are one of the lowest but their overall ranking was brought down by "assessment of relations between children and their peers, and children and their parents." where CR scored 19th (ahead only of UK and US). Here are some other quotes from the article about the report. read more »

It's a Czech's funeral

Dominik Lukeš — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 13:55:53 +0000

Potoky "druhých slzí" - www.lidovky.cz PRAHA 4. února 2007 | 13:45 V Česku se prý moc slavnostně nepohřbívá. Čas od času proběhnou médii zprávy o tom, že velká část pohřbů proběhne bez obřadu, v některých oblastech to je snad až šedesát procent. Je hodně pozůstalých, kteří si do pohřebního ústavu zapomenou přijít pro urnu, když uplyne lhůta, popel se vysype... někam.

Karel Svoboda, a well-known composer died recently, apparently committing suicide leading to a great amount of attention from the media and the public. This led Lidové Noviny to publish an article that has some interesting information about Czech funereal practices. Apparently, these happen typically with a minimum of pomp. As many as 60% of all funerals happen without a ceremony (I know of several families where that is a tradition) and supposedly quite a few urns with ashes are not collected from funeral homes. This is undoubtedly connected with the high level of atheism - up to 60% - which means that many Czechs don't have an easy access to a ritualized and institutionalized expression of grief and mourning. read more »

Czechs lead in divorce race

Dominik Lukeš — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 20:05:19 +0000

Češi: rozvodoví rekordmani - Žena.cz Pevný manželský svazek vydrží v České republice jen zhruba třetině párů. Na každých 100 sňatků připadá celkem 67 rozvodových řízení. Češi jsou tak spolu s Belgičany a Estonci s přehledem "šampiony" v rozvodech v rámci celé Evropské unie.

Given the low religiosity of Czechs, it should perhaps not be surprising that the divorce rate is rather high. Two in three marriages end in divorce (67 divorces per 100 weddings - the EU average is 40). Czechs are bested only by Estonians and Belgians . read more »