Along Vietnamese expatriates in the Czech Republic and Germany, the event was attended by dignitaries from the associations of Vietnamese Buddhist followers in Europe and the Czech Republic, representatives from the Vietnam Embassy, leaders of the union of Vietnamese in Europe and association of Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.

At the ceremony. Source: VNA

On behalf of the Ustecky region council, Jan Kubicek, director of Ustecky’s integration office, presented a certificate from the regional court recognising the Buddhist cultural centre of Most Pagoda as a provincial-level centre at a ceremony in the city on August 11.

The event affirmed the Buddhist culture of the Vietnamese community in the country is growing in popularity and is increasingly valued by the local administration.

Speaking at the ceremony, head of the pagoda Venerable Thich Thong Dat stressed the significance of the recognition, saying it was an honour for Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic and demonstrates the interest of the regional authorities in the religious activities of Vietnamese in the country.

The centre is not only a place of worship but also helps uphold the traditional culture and the use of the Vietnamese language in the community, he added.

Kubicek said among local ethnic minority groups, the Vietnamese community have carried out many activities to preserve and introduce their perse culture.

The official said he hopes the centre will help enhance the community’s solidarity, pass down cultural values to younger generations, and popularise the Vietnamese culture to Czech people.

On the occassion, Vietnamese expatriates held a grand ceremony to mark the Buddhist Vu Lan Festival - a significant festival to pay tribute to parents.

In 2013, the Czech Republic recognised the Vietnamese community as one of its ethnic minority groups./.