Ivo Žďárek

Ivo Žďárek (6 November 1960 – 20 September 2008) was a Czech diplomat. He died in the fire in the aftermath of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing trying to rescue people from the burning building.[1]

Ivo Žďárek
Czech Republic Ambassador to Vietnam
In office
2004 – August 2008
PresidentVáclav Klaus
Preceded byLuboš Nový
Succeeded byMichal Král
Czech Republic Ambassador to Pakistan
In office
August 2008 – 20 September 2008
PresidentVáclav Klaus
Preceded byAlexandr Langer
Succeeded byPavol Šepeľák
Personal details
Born(1960-11-06)6 November 1960
Trutnov, Czechoslovakia
Died20 September 2008(2008-09-20) (aged 47)
Islamabad Marriott Hotel, Pakistan
NationalityCzech
Alma materStanford University

Early life

He studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in Moscow, at the Charles University in Prague, at Stanford University, and the Czech Diplomatic Academy.[2] He had a wife, Jana, and two children.[3]

Diplomatic career

Žďárek worked at various diplomatic missions of the Czech Republic in Asia. He served as consul-general in Shanghai, People's Republic of China from 1995 to 1999.[3] From 2004 to August 2008, he was the ambassador in Vietnam. He then became the ambassador to Pakistan.

Death

Žďárek survived the bombing of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel but went in to help other survivors get out of the burning building. He called with his mobile phone asking to be rescued but was unable to escape the blaze.[1] Žďárek's body was returned to his country. A ceremony paying homage to him was held at Prague's airport.

"We are all very saddened, we always appreciated the ambassador’s work considerably,"

Czech President Václav Klaus said.

The ceremony was also attended by Žďárek's family and Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek. [4]

References
  1. "Czech envoy died helping Pakistan hotel bomb victims: report". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  2. http://www.mzv.cz/wwwo/default.asp?id=60861&ido=4948&idj=2&amb=36&ParentIDO= His CV at the Czech embassy in Pakistan
  3. "Trapped ambassador called for help - Newspaper - DAWN.COM". 22 September 2008.
  4. "Body of Czech ambassador arrives in Prague". Dawn. 24 September 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
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