World Expo Shanghai 2010 is the first world exhibition in history to be held in a developing country. The choice of the exhibition theme "Better City, Better Life" was to a large extent influenced by the assumption that 55% of human population will live in cities by the year 2010.

[viac]

Apa Sherpa is the Godfather of the new DVD Everest - Juzek Psotka. Man, who has stood on the Everest peak for 17 times has personally introduced  the DVD to public. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the first Slovak ascent of Mount Everest and the tragic death of Juzek Psotka, Pavol Barabáš released a new DVD for climbing fans entitled "Everest - Juzek Psotka", with the subtitle "Slovaks on the World's Highest Mountain". The DVD contains in particular a sensitively directed and processed 26-minute portrait of this significant figure of Slovak mountaineering through the eyes of his closest  family, friends and co-climbers, [viac]

"When steel birds start to fly across the sky and horses start to run on wheels, the time will come and Buddhism will begin to spread to western countries" predicted the Tibetan saint and mage Padmasambhava in the 8th century. After many centuries, the unconquerable and isolated country of monks living in numerous monasteries, Ladakh, was made accessible by cars and aircraft just as predicted. The former kingdom, situated on the western edge of the Tibetan tableland and guarded by the high ridges of the Himalaya and Karakoram, revealed the world's unique cultural and religious heritage.  [viac]

As much as 44 caves and abysses, which represent a part of the most valuable natural heritage in Slovakia, were designated national nature monuments. As a part of the world heritage site, we can include here also other caves and abysses of the Slovak Karst. As type localities they represent morphological and genetical variety of underground karst phenomena, various forms of calcite and aragonite fill, monumentality and exceptionality of permanent glaciation, various forms of cave fauna, but also remarkable archaeological and historical monuments. [viac]

My father Jaro has two scars on the back of his neck. Once, when I was still a little boy, I asked him what happened to him and he told me this short story:

"In 1953, I was sent to Eastern Slovakia to help with the construction of the Vihorlat factory. Apart from providing machinery and other equipment for the factory premises, we also had to provide building material, especially wood. So we went to the adjacent forests near to the village of RUININA which bordered with the Soviet Union. We, a ranger and I, were accompanied by border guards. I carried a stick to push away low branches when struggling through the vegetation.  At one point, I felt a blow, the stick flew out of my hands and I felt pain at the back of my neck... 

[viac]

SPI (www.spi-film.eu, www.spi-film.sk) is the first distributor in Slovakia introducing HD projections from digital media. Today, October 23rd, two documentaries by Pavol Barabas are released: Unknown Antarctica and Bhutan. These films are exclusively projected in two cinemas in Slovakia, which provide this technology, namely Palace Cinemas in Bratislava shopping mall Aupark and Europe Cinemas in Banska Bystrica. [viac]

His name evoked respect. Human as well as professional. At home as well as abroad.  Jozef Psotka, nicknamed "Juzek", or "mountain worker".  One of the most notable figures of Slovak mountaineering.  A man who conquered the summit of Mount Everest. Now we have the chance to recall his noteworthy life, which was a great story of conquering the world's highest summits. [viac]

The life of the mountains is affected by people. Their stories are noted down in each valley, saddleback or hill. One needs to learn to read from this mountain book, to be able to make connections, to remember messages ... Rudo Žuffa from the Roháče Mountain Rescue Service called me to a commemorative crossing from the Chocholowska valley to Zverovka, through Lúčna. The event is annually supported by Polish and Slovak rescuers who take the journey dressed in the same clothes as in an old story from the end of the Second World War that I was told by Rudo:     [viac]

At the end of June 1979, I came again to Robber's Cottage to work as a mountaineering porter. At that time, the atmosphere in the entire area of the High Tatra Mountains was very subdued. The reason for this was the crash t the edge of the Mlynicka valley of a rescue helicopter that was on its way to help a German tourist. Five members of the mountain rescue service died. The accident was the subject of every discussion. It was a really mournful time for all of us. [viac]

5th November 2007 – From the end of October until the end of January, the Slovak Polar explorer Peter Valušiak intended to attempt a sole crossing of Antarctica via the South Pole, by foot as well as on skis, without help and taking a route that has not yet been undertaken by anyone in such a purist style. Peter did not like to make a compromise and has therefore had to cancel his planned expedition for now. What had actually happened? .. [viac]