Slovak Minister of Culture presents 2025 cultural awards

Slovak Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová presented the 2025 Minister of Culture Awards in Bratislava, recognizing individuals and institutions for their exceptional contributions to the arts and cultural development.

In the category of exceptional contribution to the arts, opera singer Jozef Benci received the award for his world-class bass talent and performance in the opera ‘Krútňava’.

Lifetime achievement awards were granted to several recipients, including Zrinka Starevič-Jakobovič for fostering Slovak-Croatian cultural and scientific cooperation, and Reverend Dušan Tóth for his lifelong service to the Slovak community in Canada. Other honorees included Peter Koza for his mastery in historical fencing, ballerina Gabriela Záhraníková for her ballet career, and Ján Kačala for his contributions to Slovak linguistics and research.