Slovakia: RSI - Competition 1st round

From today until next year’s summer, Radio Slovakia International will regularly bring you unique things, objects and natural phenomenon in the competition cycle called Slovak Uniques. We will present you a number of rarities located only on the territory of Slovakia which are of European or World significance. Every month, we will ask you a question related to a unique thing. If you want to take part in our competition and fight for the monthly prize as well as for the main prize which is a one week stay for two couples, just answer the question at least once. All correct answers will be included in the main draw. The one week stay for two couples in Slovakia will be donated by AQUA CITY Poprad and golf resort Black-Stork in the High Tatra Mountains International Velka Lomnica. Before you decide whether you will participate in the competition just for the joy of competing or you want to win the main prize, we have to inform you about two important aspects. The first one says that the winner of the main prize covers the costs of traveling to Slovakia and the second one is that only people who do not have permanent residency in Slovakia can join the competition. And now concentrate! The first unique thing is going to be a school. If that doesn’t sound very unique to you, just listen carefully... This bird sound of “Mr. Labus” – ergo the songbird raven, was recorded at a forest glade where children accompanying visitors from Israel presented their bird handling skills. It was interesting to see how they were able to handle the various breeds. Some of them were presented by Barbora. The bald eagle, hawks, falcons...We even have one songbird you have already heard and also Kestrels. The children work with birds which haven’t been kidnapped from their natural habitats, they are bred in captivity or they come from ZOO’s. Barbora’s teacher Pavol Michal continues. We also have a Harris Hawk. Then we have different kinds of falcons, from the Peregrine Falcon to Falco cherrug, but we also have the songbird raven and very rare eagles for example the golden eagle, the Steppe Eagle from Kazakhstan or Kirgizstan. We also have a very beautiful predator which is the only one in Slovakia and is at the same time the symbol of America - the bald eagle. It was amazing to see young children having their classes directly in the countryside. They are learning falconry in the special elementary school. Why is it unique? Its director Pavol Michal gives the answer. Our school is unique because we are the only school in the world that offers students lessons in falconry, hunting and forestry. We also have other special subjects in our school like for example Geography of tourism taught in the 9th grade and also forestry in the 4th grade. This school has existed since the year 1970 when it started as a standard elementary school. The falconry group has been here for several years now and because we wanted to make the school more attractive, we have created an independent subject falconry, hunting and forestry. The school campus is very appropriate for it, because we have a special training area with a number of predators here. That’s why we have decided to create such a subject here. Kids also receive marks for this grade, but since they are so interested in this subject, we haven’t seen worse than B’s here. Falconry has a great tradition in Slovakia – old records reveal that it was popular especially in the medieval period and it was also very well organized. Every bigger castle had its own falconry crew, that’s why falconry was always considered to be an aristocratic entertainment. In the 13th century, there was a village called Draucariorum which means predators, located in the eastern part of todays Slovakia. It was known as the king’s falcon’s breeder’s village. These are the traditions that are being followed by the unique school we are introducing to you today. We asked the director where these graduates can be of use. Majority of them work at Slovak airports or as professional falconers they work at airports abroad or they work at various breeding factories. Currently this special subject is being attended by all students from our 7th and 8th grade. Altogether there are around 25 children in those two classes and we plan to nurture generations of falconers here, because we believe that our school will be here for a long time. For a student from the 8th grade Michal Bacik, falconry comes first. I think I will wait until I’m 18 and then I would like to buy my own predator. His classmates love falconry too and strictly reject the idea that falconry is only for boys. We take care of these predators, which you cannot do anywhere else. I think it’s a big benefit for us, but at the same time it means a lot of responsibility. We learn a lot, we receive plenty of new information and we travel the whole world which is amazing. And now pay close attention dear listeners. Here is the question for the 1st round of our competition: Which bird could you hear in the background of our presentation of the only elementary school in the world where they teach falconry? Please send your answers by the 25^th of October via e-mail or regular post. Our post address is: Radio Slovakia International English section Mytna 1 P.O. Box 55 81755 Bratislava Slovakia Our e-mail address is englishsection@slovakradio.sk

[05. 10. 2009, 10:55:20]

via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia