Vietnamese Expats Donate to Support Flood Victims in Germany

The reception took place at the office of the Ministry of the Interior and for Sport of Rhineland-Palatinate. Source: Berlin Press Club

A delegation of Vietnamese expats has gone to Mainz city - the capital of the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which suffered the most damage during the recent flood - for the symbolic handover of EUR 40,452 at a ceremony on Sept.16.

They met and presented the sum to Randolf Stich, representative of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport in Rhineland-Palatinate, while expressing sympathy to people facing difficulties caused by serious flooding.

Previously on Sept. 8, the Vietnamese community transferred the entire amount mentioned to help those hit by the disaster.

The money was raised from over two months of donations from Vietnamese and foreigners doing business at the Dong Xuan Center, one of Germany's largest Asian markets, associations, people from the local community living in Berlin and some other regions.

Stich expressed his appreciation for the large donation from the Vietnamese community, saying it was a symbol of heartfelt sharing, precious sympathy, and a practical gift for the local government and people who have just been affected by the flooding.

"Together with the support of the people across the country, this money will help us a lot, especially, as encouragement for the authorities and people here to soon overcome the consequences of the flood and stabilize their lives," he said.

He also expressed his emotion that the delegation had traveled more than 600 kilometers to the flood-prone areas to present the donations.

At the symbolic hand-over ceremony. Source: Berlin Press Club

On behalf of the delegation, Nguyen Viet Duc, chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Berlin-Brandenburg and Dong Thanh Binh, assistant general manager of Dong Xuan Center, also expressed their compassion and concern for the extremely heavy losses of human life and property damage caused by the floods.

They then thanked the German government and people for always supporting Vietnam and taking care of their communities like their own countrymen. Although the donation is not much, it is a great sharing sentiment with the people in the flood area, as well as showing the deep gratitude of the Vietnamese community in Germany who consider the country their second homeland.

The meeting took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. At the end of the event, Stich gave the delegation a pair of wine bottles - famous products of the Rhineland Palatinate, and promised to go to Berlin at the end of the year to meet and directly thank the Vietnamese people.

The historic flooding last July devastated Rhineland-Palatinate and Nordrhein-Westfalen states, destroying infrastructure and claiming the lives of at least 191 people, while tens of thousands of people were injured.

Germany's worst floods in more than 200 years triggered by midweek heavy rains caused widespread devastation in various towns and villages in the western regions bordering Belgium and France.

There are around 188,000 people of Vietnamese descent in Germany.

Established in 2003, the 18ha Dong Xuan Centre is the biggest Vietnamese trading hub in Germany, gathering thousands of businessmen including Vietnamese, Pakistani and Chinese expatriates.

President’s upcoming trip to Cuba, US to promote vaccine diplomacy Vietnam's State President is set to pay an official visit to Cuba and then fly to New York to attend the 76th session of the ...

Vietnam-Qatar Two-Way Trade Still Expanded Depsite Covid Despite Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam and Qatar still enjoy surge in two-way trade.

Vietnam Receives More Support Amidst Covid-19 Vietnam and its needy groups continue to receive support for Covid-19 prevention.