Czech Ambassador to Viet Nam Martin Klepetko.

On the occasion of the Czech Republic's National Day on Sunday, Viet Nam News presents an article by the Czech Ambassador to Viet Nam, Martin Klepetko.On October 28 the Czech Republic will commemorate the 94th anniversary of the formation of an independent Czechoslovak state in 1918 and restoration of Czech statehood in its historical borders. The National Day is a public holiday with numerous events taking place all over the country, and celebrations traditionally culminate with the presentation of state decorations by the President of the Czech Republic at the Prague Castle.

For Vietnamese people, the Czech Republic is a well-known country, particularly for its large Vietnamese community and long tradition of bilateral ties. Situated in Central Europe, the Czech Republic is a crossroads of Europe, influenced by many surrounding elements which contributed to its rich cultural heritage. Its interesting history, magnificent landscape and architectural monuments, modern leisure and sport facilities and unique culinary tradition made the country one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

 

Czech it out: A view of the Prague Castle, the most significant monument and one of the most important cultural institutions in the country. — Photos courtesy of Czech Embassy

The Czech Republic and Viet Nam enjoy traditional and friendly relations with co-operation in all spheres of mutual interest. In recent years, more high level visits have occurred between the two countries – including among others the visits of the Czech First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel Schwazenberg, and the Czech Minister of Defence, Alexandr Vondra, in early 2012. In June 2012, the 3rd Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Co-operation took place in Prague.

Both countries prioritise economic and trade co-operation. Two-way trade recorded remarkable growth in the last five years, with trade turnover rising by 65 per cent. The two countries still have a lot to offer each other in spite of all the difficulties and the economic slowdown. The Czech Republic is also ready to assist in modernising the Vietnamese economy and infrastructure and within the programme of development assistance to also contribute to environmental protection and social welfare.

The Czech Republic traditionally prioritises co-operation in the field of education and cultural exchange. Both technical support and governmental scholarships represent an integral part of Czech (or Czechoslovak, before 1993) development assistance to Viet Nam, which was highly appreciated by the Vietnamese people.

Thanks to this co-operation, many Vietnamese received a higher education or professional training in our country and also today, the Czech Republic continues to be seen as a highly attractive destination for Vietnamese students. Within the development assistance programme, a limited number of scholarships are still granted.

Direct co-operation between Czech and Vietnamese universities is also becoming increasingly important. The legal framework for the co-operation in the field of education is provided by the Co-operation agreement between the relevant Ministries signed in 2008. Under this agreement, both sides provide language and short-term study courses which at the same time contribute to further deepening of cultural exchange between the two countries.

Today, State support is weakening and together with ongoing budgetary restrictions the cultural sphere has to look for new approaches and funding resources and this can be seen in bilateral relations. With every case of successful business co-operation, we can expect the companies' readiness to sponsor more cultural events in the future. Simultaneously, the Vietnamese community living in the Czech Republic and friendship organisations in both countries should play an indispensable role.

This interaction and mutual cultural enrichment is also seen in the spread of Vietnamese cuisine. It is not by chance that Vietnamese restaurants and bistros are mushrooming in our country and that Vietnamese cuisine has an increasing number of fans. On the other hand Czech food and drinks have a very good reputation in Viet Nam. Czechs and Vietnamese have a common affection for beer. In Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh and other cities one can find restaurants serving Czech beer or more often Czech style beer produced locally using Czech technology and ingredients. — VNS