Adil Najam
On your left is the picture of the flag of the Czech Republic. On your right is a ‘Check’ (or, rather, checkered flag; often used in car racing. The two should never be confused. Except for the fact that ‘Czech’ is pronounced as ‘check.’
Ordinarily, this should not be a problem. But right now the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is visiting Islamabad, and the Capital’s PR people have adorned flags on flagpoles and a number of (very) large banners to welcome him in the spirit of good hospitality. The only problem is that instead of putting the ‘Czech’ flags on the banners, they have ‘Check’ flags!
I saw these while driving back into Islamabad on the from the Airport. I rushed back to see if I would figure out who was responsible for this little gaffe and maybe alert them to the mistake before the Czech PM arrived. Unfortunately, it turned out that the Czech PM was already here.
I wonder what he and his team thought of this. Did they even mention it to their hosts or did they just keep politely quiet? I also wonder what they thought about the banner that read: “We Pray for the Czech Progress and Prosperity”?I am sure they liked the sentiment, but maybe they also wondered why Pakistanis are praying for Czech progress and prosperity instead of working harder for Pakistani progress or prosperity. On the other hand, maybe they do not think as hard about what is written on banners as I do!
I have no way of knowing this, but my theory of how this might have happened is this – Someone tells someone to find out what a Czech (read ‘check’) flag looks like; they look up ‘check flag’ on Google, and that is the one which makes it way on the banner.
Nice story for a chuckle? But how would you feel if the Pakistan Prime Minister goes to another country and they mess up the flags this way?
This mistake is already in our newspapers. But only in internet news because of weekend.
Dont apologize for that mistake because we are used to it. If you look at link below you can see how strangers see our contry. http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic
Hi from Czech Republic.
This gave me good 1 minute laugh. Thank you for prolonging my life. I wish i can visit your country soon.
Hi, I’m Czech too and I really can’t imagine anyone here in Czech Republic who would feel really offended and not just amused (except those few who love to be offended and live only to seek reasons to feel so). As pointed above, pretty much all of us are used to our country being misspelled as “check,” “cheque” or even worse, confused with Chechnya. So, no harm done.
Hi all!
Very funny blunder, but as many people here already said, we from Czechia (yes, despite what Zed said, official english one-word name for our contry IS Czechia) are quite used to it – I saw a snapshot from CNN with “Switzerland” written over our map (well I wouldn’t mind :)
So don’t worry, its just something to laugh at, and no big deal.
Or just for fun, there could be a lesson for Islamabad officials from this: “less praying and more learning” (this is said with tongue in cheek :)
And as you saw in post from “posraldesku” (dont even ASK what does the nickname mean in czech), we have a lot of idiots too, who cant resist to bring their petty hate squabbles even to a forum in a foreign country.
Oh by the way, the news about the blunder made it to the biggest czech online news portal now – so there would be some laugh, some sarcastic comments .. and thats it.
Hi! I´m a “check” guy and this mistake is funny :) We all laugh in here :) It happens…