(VOVworld) – Vietnam has awarded insignias to Jan Zahradil, Czech Member of the European Parliament, and Petr Hnízdo, Director of the International Relations Department of the Czech Ministry of Culture, for their contribution to strengthening cultural, sports, and tourism cooperation between Viet Nam and the Czech Republic. Addressing the event on Tuesday in the Vietnamese Embassy in Prague, Ambassador Truong Manh Son reviewed 100 culture-sports activities held in the Czech Republic in 2015 to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the Vietnam Culture Year in Czech 2016, saying those activities helped build solidarity, friendship, and mutual understanding between the 2 countries. The Ambassador attributed part of these successes to the contributions by the 2 Czech officials. 

Ambassador Truong Manh Son confers the insignia on Czech official (Source: VOV)

Mr. Zahradil, who is also Chairman of the EU-Vietnam friendship parliamentarian group,   hailed the success of the Vietnamese community living in the Czech Republic and said he hopes he can help promote Vietnam’s image and further promote EU-Vietnam relations. He said: “Vietnamese people living in the Czech Republic form the largest immigrant community in the 28 EU countries. This is a foundation for further cooperation between the Czech Republic and Vietnam. I will do my best to promote bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and Vietnam, and between the EU and Vietnam.  I will push for approval of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement, which it is hoped will take effect early next year.”