A photo exhibition named “Vietnam Stories” with the most realistic and vivid perspectives on the life of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, by veteran Czech photographer Jindřich Štreit, opened to welcome the public from the afternoon of August 6 in the city of Plzeň - the capital of the western region of the Czech Republic, nearly 80 km from Prague.
Outstanding young Vietnamese in Czech Republic in 2020 honoured
This is an exhibition organized by the City Council in collaboration with the overseas Vietnamese branch in Plzeň.
The 50 photos on display at the exhibition are selected from a huge collection of photographs by the photographer and teacher Jindřich Štreit, who is famous for his immense and rich photographic archives on almost every aspect of life in the peaceful and beautiful country of the Czech Republic, according to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in the Czech Republic.
“Vietnam Stories” are visual stories about the daily life of Vietnamese communities and families in the Czech Republic, as well as traditional Vietnamese customs and habits being preserved and promoted by the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic such as Tet, birthdays, full months, wedding and funeral, and death anniversaries.
Photographer Jindřich Štreit and visitors at the exhibition (Photo: VNA)
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Mr. Jindřich Štreit said that in order to make this series of photos, he had deeply researched, attended activities and tried to immerse himself in the Vietnamese community to capture the most authentic life of Vietnamese in the Czech Republic through the lens of a person who has a lot of sympathy for Vietnam.
The 75-year-old photographer believes that the Vietnamese community has been integrating well into Czech society.
“I personally have a very good relationship with the Vietnamese community in North Morava and they themselves, especially young people, have enthusiastically helped me to make this meaningful series of photos,” he said.
Ms. Eliška Bartáková, Deputy Mayor of Plzeň city, said that the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic has gone through three generations and is integrating very well. Vietnamese people obey the law well, study, do business hard and make many positive contributions to society. For Czechs today, it is perfectly fine and normal for the two peoples of the Czech Republic and Vietnam to live and develop in the Czech country.
"The Overseas Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic greatly appreciates the valuable contributions of author Jindřich Štreit with beautiful photos of Vietnamese life in the Czech Republic. The exhibition has contributed to enhancing and developing the good cooperation relationship between the two countries. In particular, the photos on display also show valuable cultural contributions to the coexistence of the Vietnamese community with other ethnic groups in the Czech Republic, as well as a profound meaning about the relationship among ethnic groups in the Czech Republic," said Dr. Nguyen Duy Nhien, Chairman of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, in an interview with a VNA correspondent.
Vojtěch Štajek, a citizen of Plzeň who came to see the exhibition and also a photography enthusiast, said that since the 1990s, the number of Vietnamese people coming to study, do business and live in the Czech Republic increased sharply.
There were difficult times due to the difference in style and concept of life between the Czech and Vietnamese people. According to Mr. Vojtěch, at first, the Czechs "couldn't stand" the Vietnamese people's unyielding struggle and hard work, regardless of the time.
However, over time, it was the Vietnamese people’s strong will to rise up and their positive contributions to society that convinced the Czech people, so that today the Vietnamese people have truly integrated and live with all other ethnic groups in the Czech Republic.
"We have really considered the Vietnamese people as our "comrades". What is displayed at this exhibition very accurately reflects the life of Vietnamese people that I witness every day,” he said.
Mr. Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Chairman of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Plzeň, said that the community of more than 6,000 Vietnamese living in this city wholeheartedly supports the organization of the exhibition with the hope that "Vietnam Stories" will promote the image of Vietnamese people's lives to Czechs, helping Czech people better understand the customs and habits of Vietnamese people.
The second and third generation of Vietnamese people in Plzeň and surrounding areas wish that this exhibition will bring the Czech people who are their "neighbors" the best images of people and unique traditional customs of Vietnam.
“Vietnam Stories” is a respectful spiritual product of photographer Jindřich Štreit, an artist who always has a lot of sympathy for the country and people of Vietnam. Through this exhibition, viewers will have a deeper understanding of the life of Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic in particular as well as Vietnamese people in general, since then they will have more sympathy and cohesion.
The exhibition will be open until August 27, 2021./.
BTA