Farewell to Marcel Winter - Czech friend who devoted his whole life to Vietnam

Mr. Marcel Winter is an active social activist and a loyal friend, deeply attached to the country and people of Vietnam. For more than two decades, he has devoted all his heart to fostering friendship between the Vietnamese and Czech people.

Marcel Winter, a great friend of Vietnam in the Czech Republic, passed away. (Photo: KT)

In 1994, he founded WMC Advertising and Marketing Company to maintain and promote economic relations between the Czech Republic and Vietnam. Under his connection, many Czech enterprises in the fields of machine manufacturing, agriculture, mechanics, waste treatment, etc. have come to Vietnam to seek investment opportunities. Notably, he contributed to promoting the Czech Government to provide 750,000 USD in ODA capital to build a waste treatment line and produce microbiological fertilizers in Hai Duong.

Mr. Marcel Winter has made nearly 50 business trips to Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and many other localities in Vietnam, contributing to expanding the bridge of friendship and economic cooperation between the two countries. Not only working as a businessman, he is also an "amateur journalist" with more than 350 articles, speeches, exhibitions, and conferences promoting the image, people, and culture of Vietnam. He regularly provides objective and accurate information about the socio-economic situation of Vietnam to Czech enterprises and resolutely refutes distorted arguments about labor policies as well as the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic in the local media.

In July 2016, Mr. Marcel Winter gave gifts to children at a primary school in La Pan commune, Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province in the charity program "Smiling Eyes". (Photo: Vietnam - Czech Friendship Association)

As the President of the Czech-Vietnamese Friendship Association for 12 years since 2005 and then Honorary President, Mr. Marcel Winter has contributed to building the Association into a large network, a gathering place for Czech people who love Vietnam. He once admitted: "I have a part of Vietnamese blood flowing in my veins". Mr. Winter's affection and specific activities have been recognized by the Vietnamese community, who affectionately call him "Mr. Marcel Vietnam".

Marcel Winter also devoted his heart to humanitarian activities and supporting the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic. He gave gifts to poor children in Lao Cai, supported Vietnamese people to integrate into the local society and did not mind his age or health to attend most of the cultural, sports and charity events of the community.

Mr. Marcel Winter gives gifts to poor children in Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province in 2016. (Photo: Vietnam - Czech Friendship Association)

In activities supporting Vietnam's struggle to protect its sea and island sovereignty, Mr. Marcel Winter also played a prominent role. He actively participated in events of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic protesting China's violation of Vietnam's territorial waters, supporting the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague (Netherlands) on the East Sea, refuting the Czech daily Halo noviny's article expressing China's wrong views on the situation in the East Sea right after the PCA's ruling... Specifically, at the Vietnamese protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in Prague on May 11, 2014, he was the loudest person shouting slogans demanding China to withdraw the Haiyang 981 drilling rig from Vietnam's territorial waters. On the evening of May 20, 2014, he wore a red T-shirt with a five-pointed yellow star and was among the top fundraisers "Towards the homeland's sea and islands" in the Vietnamese community. Two years later, on March 22, 2016, he attended the Requiem Mass for the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Vietnam's sovereignty over its seas and islands, held at Vaclav Square. Just one month later, on April 29, 2016, he stood side by side with hundreds of Vietnamese people in front of the Chinese Embassy in Prague to present a protest letter against the Beijing government's policy of strengthening its military presence in the East Sea...

During their official visits to the Czech Republic in May 2015 and June 2016, President Truong Tan Sang and Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh highly appreciated the persistent efforts of the Czech-Vietnam Friendship Association and Mr. Marcel Winter personally in strengthening people-to-people relations between the two countries.

Sharing on his personal page about his passing, businessman Nguyen Manh Tung, Chairman of the Czech Chamber of Commerce for the Vietnamese community, wrote: "My sincere condolences to Mr. Marcel Winter's family and the entire Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic. Since I was a child, he has been a great role model for me. When I was 20 years old and first met him at the office, it felt like I was standing in front of the character Columbo - wise, smoking cigars and always calm.

I regret not being able to see him one last time, but I will never forget the support he gave to our young generation. He always stood up for the youth in dialogues, and despite our differences in views in recent years, I will always remember him as someone who sacrificed a part of his life for the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

I am grateful to him. And I am proud to now continue my role in the Executive Committee of the Czech-Vietnamese Friendship Association, the organization he founded as Honorary President, to continue the path he opened."

According to the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, Mr. Marcel Winter's funeral was held on April 12 at St. Ambrože Church, Králové Castle - Ambrožova 729, Hradec Králové city, Czech Republic.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/vinh-biet-marcel-winter-nguoi-ban-sec-danh-ca-cuoc-doi-cho-viet-nam-212349.html