A city and the people who shape it are inseparable. Every metropolis draws its identity from the individuals who live in it, contribute to it, and find inspiration in its character.
Today, Bratislava is home to many remarkable figures whose talent and work have left a lasting mark on the city – people its residents can be genuinely proud of. On Friday, December 5, the city celebrated these contributors for the sixteenth time, adding new honorees to the growing story of Bratislava. The project, created within our publishing house and firmly rooted in the cultural and social life of Bratislavans through the monthly magazine Metropola, has become a beloved tradition. Each year, readers nominate candidates for this prestigious award through a public poll, and this latest edition proved no different. From dozens of submissions, a professional jury selected nine honorees, who were welcomed at an elegant ceremony in the Tower 5 Gallery of the National Football Center, enhanced by the festive pre-Christmas atmosphere.
Strengthening ties
At the start of the evening, the creator and organizer of the project, Mária Reháková, greeted the guests and highlighted the particularly celebratory tone of this year’s event. “I am immensely happy that we are meeting at a time when Czech–Slovak relations are once again growing stronger after a difficult period,” she said. She added that this renewed closeness is reflected in the Bratislava Personalities project, which is expanding beyond Slovakia’s borders. “The honorees whose work resonated with Metropola’s readers will now also be introduced to our neighbors in Czechia. Their names and stories will be presented for the first time in The Business Soirée, thanks to the cooperation we have established.” She then welcomed the magazine’s publisher and owner, Peter Závodský, who spoke about the deep connection between Czechs and Slovaks – a relationship unique in the world. The importance of this cooperation was echoed by former Czech minister of culture and current Member of the European Parliament Antonín Staněk, who expressed sincere admiration for the project and the idea behind it.
Peter Závodský (TBS), Mária Reháková.
A beautiful finále
Members of the professional jury – Gabriela Belopotocká and Mikuláš Milko, CEO of the travel agency Hydrotour – presented the Bratislava Personalities 2025 honorees to the audience. The laudations were read by actor František Kovár. An unforgettable finale followed: acclaimed actress and reciter Ida Rapaičová performed Proglas, the oldest preserved poem from Slovak territory, written more than a thousand years ago. Her rendition created a truly electrifying moment. The honorees also received thoughtful gifts from the project’s partners, including an artwork by glass artist and designer Achilleas Sdoukos, who has Slovak and Greek roots. A beautiful publication from publishing house IKAR was presented by its CEO, Marek Néma, while additional gifts from VOLVO | T.O.P. AUTO Bratislava were handed over by Andrej Kurej. Warm congratulations were also extended by dentist Lucia Richterová, Lucia Trubačová, and Katarína Vengová, who presented a gift from the family winery Pavelka a syn.
Member of the European Parliament Antonín Staněk spoke about the exceptional relationship between Czechs and Slovaks.
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