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Libor Sečka, Czech Ambassador to China [Zhou Jing / China.org.cn]

There will be a day-long program of activities to celebrate Czech National Day on May 17. "The highlight will be a performance by the Czech National Theater Ballet specially prepared for the Expo. We have also invited some Chinese artists, including the painter Huang Rui, to take part."

There will even be an exhibition about legendary Chinese hero Sun Wukong - the Monkey King. Czech painter Zdenek Sklendar became famous for his 1950s illustrations of the Monkey King stories. Now a film has been made based on his illustrations. "It's a Czech interpretation of Chinese culture," said the ambassador.

"We have also brought some pieces of Prague's famous Charles Bridge, including a statue. According to a Czech tradition, visitors to Prague touch a special area of the statue for good luck. Now in the Czech Pavilion you can touch the statue and make a wish. The wish should come true," the ambassador added.

Besides cultural activities, the Union of Czech Industry and Chambers of Commerce will deliver presentations on the Czech economy. In July a week of events celebrating Czech regions and provinces will be held.

The ambassador said Prague is using modern technology to protect its ancient heritage. "Six years ago, we had a catastrophic flood in Prague. The water of the River Vltava rose so high that it destroyed some parts of the old city where much of our historical and cultural heritage is located. Because of climate change, we are experiencing more floods than before. So we set up an early warning system and protective walls. We have brought the know-how and technology in Shanghai to share it with our Chinese partners. The Czech people should work together with people from the rest of world to keep our cities alive, safe and protected."

The Czech government was the first country to accept a pavilion at the Shanghai Expo. "We did this because of the scale and location of the Expo. It's a good opportunity for Czech Republic to show where we are, what we can do and in which fields we can collaborate with the world. We have a long tradition of being a part of the World Expo," said the ambassador.

The Czech Republic has also issued a special Expo stamp featuring its pavilion. "It's another of our Expo traditions; we did the same for Brussels in 1958, Montreal in 1967, Osaka in 1970 and Seville in 1992. It will be a great souvenir for stamp collectors and others who are interested in the event," said the ambassador.

 

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