Berlin. 29 October 2012. Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero, who lived in Berlin for a few months from 1886-1887 where he finished and published his novel “Noli Me Tangere”, will now become part of a multi-national project that will leave his permanent imprint in the streets of Berlin.
(Left to right) Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad, Bonger Voges, Chair of Kunstwelt Berlin, and Representative Henedina R. Abad unveil the winning quotation from Dr. Jose Rizal
Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad in cooperation with Kunstwelt e. V. (Artworld) Berlin chaired by Bonger Voges and the Guest of Honor, Representative Henedina R. Abad, unveiled the winning quotation from Dr. Jose Rizal for the Path of Visionaries of the World, a project under the patronage of the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bukowa.
The “Path of Visionaries of the World” is a ground-breaking project that displays plaques containing quotations from great personalities – poets, novelist, writers, and heroes – of all the UN-Member States. These plaques will be embedded in the pedestrian zone of Berlin’s famous Friedrichstrasse, just a short distance away from Checkpoint Charlie. The project aims to project a powerful symbol of peace, internationality, and dialogue for all the peoples of the world in the heart of Berlin.
The quotes stand for the values and cultures of all the world’s peoples and states. They also convey the uniqueness of each culture and encourage respect and acceptance of the intellectual, spiritual, and cultural contribution of the world’s nations.
In September 2009, the organizers, Kunstwelt e.V. (Art World), started to invite the UN-Member States’ embassies to participate in the Path of Visionaries of the World. Currently, 150 States agreed to participate, including the Philippines.
Ambassador Natividad signs in the guest book of the exhibition hall
The following quotation from the national hero, Dr. José Rizal, culled from Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años, will form part of the project:
“Para leer en el destino de los pueblos, es menester abrir al libro de su pasado.”
(Source : Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años, La Solidaridad, 1889) (original)
The unveiling was witnessed by the Philippine delegation taking part in the Renewable Energy Information Visit headed by Representative Abad, who is Chair of the Committee on Energy and Member of the Committee on Culture and Basic Education, Philippine House of Representatives. The information visit was sponsored by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the German Agency for International Cooperation GmbH (GIZ). END
