Mumbai gears up for Czechoslovakia's 100th year celebrations

Fashion designer Jana Berg and (right) Honorary Consul General of the Czech Republic Rashmi Jolly

As the world celebrates 100 years of the formation of the sovereign state of Czechoslovakia, Mumbai gears up to be a part of the global celebrations, with a reception and fashion show by Prague designer Jana Berg at a SoBo hotel on November 17. The event is likely to see the presence of Delhi-based Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India H E Milan Hovorka.

Mumbai joins the party
Mumbai-based Honorary Consul General of the Czech Republic, Rashmi Jolly said, "Celebrations have been taking place across the world from mid-October, and Mumbai has to be a part of it! On October 26, I attended the 100th anniversary celebrations in New Delhi where 25 schoolchildren dressed in traditional Czech folk costumes performed at a musical programme. The stage at the event was built across a swimming pool at the Embassy of the Czech Republic."

She further said, "The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the Carnegie Hall in New York and also in London. Of course, the biggest celebration took place in the Czech Republic, with an extensive military parade and air show billed as the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. At least 2,000 soldiers had taken part in the parade, which featured around 200 pieces of Czech military equipment. The parade started at Prague 6's extensive Evropská Street, and the airspace over Václav Havel Airport was closed for an hour during the show."

Boost to tourism
For Jolly, this event is a small effort towards ensuring that more Indians tour Prague. She said, "Number of tourists visiting Eastern Europe has increased significantly in the past eight years. Prague is beautiful, and though it is not a very big place, crimes are associated with it just like other big cities. Tourists need to be careful, as cabbies are not always honest. A few incidents have created misconceptions that a lot of thefts take place in Prague. But one needs to be careful in any city." As music is the Czech Republic's lingo, Jolly added that the 100th-year milestone would be followed by "a visit by a Prague-based jazz group in February. Even a second-class musician in the Czech Republic is a first-class musician in the rest of the world," she said.

Nov 17
Day the fashion show will take place in Mumbai

Oct 17
Day New Delhi hosted an event for the 100-year celebrations

2,000
No. of soldiers who took part in the Czech Republic parade

Celebrating independence
October 28 is marked as the Independent Czechoslovak State Day. On this day, people celebrate the formation of the sovereign state of Czechoslovakia after World War I, when the country officially gained independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates