It is precisely this challenge that the new Digital Region program is addressing, launching its first public workshops in libraries. The Juraj Fándly Library in Trnava was the first to kick off the initiative, hosting two pilot workshops – one for seniors and one for adults. The godfather of the new program is well-known influencer Radoslav Hoppej – Nie je túra bez Štúra. The initiative is backed by the Telekom Foundation Fund and the operator’s employees themselves.
Digital skills need space
Having digital skills today is not just about knowing how to “click”. It is about being able to manage things online, create with new technologies, tackle professional challenges, and also protect oneself from online fraud.
According to the European Commission, as many as 4 in 10 adults still lack even basic digital skills, with the biggest gaps seen across generations. The European Union has therefore set a target for 80% of the population to have basic digital skills by 2030.
“Access to technology is no longer the main barrier – Slovakia has very strong network coverage. The real challenge is ensuring that people understand the digital world and feel confident and safe in it. At Telekom, we have long emphasized that digital skills are just as important as connectivity itself. If we want a digital society that works for everyone, we need to create learning opportunities that are natural, accessible, and built on trust – and this is exactly the role libraries can play today,” says Miroslava Remenárová, Director of External Relations and Sustainability, Slovak Telekom.
Libraries as new centres of community life – also for lifelong learning
The Digital Region program, an initiative of the Telekom Foundation Fund at Pontis Foundation, was launched in April to support the development of digital skills for everyone. Starting in Trnava, it will expand to libraries across Slovakia, with activities running until March 2027. Its ambition is to gradually transform libraries into classrooms of the future – open, practical, and accessible to all generations.
“If civilisation is defined by the ability to communicate and share experiences, then libraries are places where stories and texts that have stood the test of time are preserved and retold. It is therefore natural that they also respond to new forms and spaces of information and communication. Just like with books, they help reveal the contexts in which these narratives make sense. From a civilisational perspective, meaning lies where words, information, and images lead to understanding, to connecting different perspectives, and to maintaining the conditions for life and society. For this, we need a supportive environment – distance from the constant flow of information, from negative emotions, and a space where we can pause, listen, and think. Libraries are such places,” says Pavol Tomašovič, Director of the Juraj Fándly Library in Trnava.
“Libraries have a unique advantage – they are a natural part of communities and people trust them. That is why they can play a key role in developing digital skills. We are pleased that initiatives such as Digital Region naturally build on and complement activities we are already developing in libraries, for example through SmartLabs. Together, we show that libraries can respond to new societal needs and become places where people build confidence in the digital world,” says Dávid Baranko, Director of Creative Technologies and STEAM Education at CVTI SR.
The godfather of the Digital Region program is influencer Radoslav Hoppej – Nie je túra bez Štúra
One of the supporters of the Digital Region project is well-known influencer Radoslav Hoppej – Nie je túra bez Štúra, who has long been showcasing Slovakia through stories of places, people, and regions. Like the project itself, he shares a similar philosophy: discovering the potential of places that already exist and giving them new meaning.
As he puts it: “On my hikes, I see what amazing places and strong communities we have across Slovakia. Libraries are a natural part of them – we just often perceive them in a somewhat outdated way. Digital Region gives them new energy. It shows that even small places can become major centres of learning and community life.” According to him, the local environment is key: “You don’t have to go to a big city to learn something new. It’s enough to visit your local library.”
About the Digital Region program
Digital Region is a new initiative of the Telekom Foundation Fund at Pontis Foundation, supporting libraries across Slovakia in building modern educational spaces. As part of the program, €80,000 has been distributed among libraries, with recipients selected through public voting. Each participating library has received funding not only for equipment but also for organizing public events throughout the year. Interestingly, some of these activities are also led directly by Telekom employees.