The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ljubljana has been for years successfully cooperating with the city of Celje in the field of culture. This year, in cooperation with the Central Library of Celje, two exhibitions were dedicated to Czech literature and culture were presented.

The exhibition The Life and Times of the Writer Karel Čapek 1890-1938 chronologically and thematically introduces the visitor to the personality of Karel Čapek in a simple and attractive form on several levels. In addition to reminders of the author's plays and works of fiction, such as R.U.R., White Disease, and War with the Newts, attention is also paid to his journalistic activities, civil stands, interests, friendships, and love affairs. The author of the exhibition is the Karel Čapek Memorial in Stará Hut in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

The exhibition The Czech Literature through the Eyes of Slovenian Translators presents the work of important translators from the mid-20th century to the present-day. The exhibition focuses in particular on the legacy of Zdenka Škerlj-Jerman, Jaroslav Skrušný, Nives Vidrih and Tatjana Jamnik, winners of the highest Slovenian prize for literary translation, the Anton Sovret Prize. The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Department of Slavonic Studies of the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, the Association of Slovenian Literary Translators, the Cultural and Artistic Association of Police Dubove under the auspices of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ljubljana.

The exhibitions were officially opened by the Director of the Central Library of Celje, Polonca Bajc Napret, and the Deputy Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Ljubljana, Pavel Sladký. In addition to them, Bojan Cvelfar, Head of the The Department for Social Activities at the Municipality of Celje and Tatjana Jamnik, President of the Police Dubove Cultural and Artistic Association, translator of Czech and Polish literature and co-author of the exhibition on translators, also addressed the audience. Dr. Hasan Zahirović, translator and Čapek expert who was awarded with the highest Čapek award in Prague, on – line spoke to the audience. He mentioned several unknown and interesting correlations between Čapek and Slovenia.

Two music students from the Celje Music School who performed beautiful melodies by Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák highlighted the cultural programme.

The first editions of Karel Čapek's works in Slovenian, which are preserved by the Central Library in Celje, are also presented in the library's entrance hall. One of the books was translated during Karel Čapek's lifetime in 1937. Translated by Janko Orožen from Celje.

The exhibition will be open until the end of April.