The latest edition (October 2015-May 2016) of the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines´official gazette, “Die Philippinen” may already be viewed HERE.
Philippine Honorary Consulate in Dresden presents Independence Day Piano Concert in Historic Hall
Mr. Hartmut Fromm, Philippine Honorary Consul for Saxony-Anhalt welcoming guests to the concert in celebration of the anniversary of Philippine independence
13 June 2016. Philippine Honorary Consul for Saxony-Anhalt, Mr. Hartmut Fromm and Dr. Inge Groth-Fromm in close cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Berlin celebrated the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence with a concert featuring Filipino concert pianist Dr. Raul Sunico at the Piano Salon of the Coselpalais in Dresden. The concert was also supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Dr. Sunico in concert overlooking the famous Dresden Frauenkirche
Ambassador Melita S. Sta. Maria-Thomeczek and officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin were in attendance, along with a mixed crowd of Filipino community members, State officials and Germans from Dresden and the surrounding areas.
Dr. Sunico presented an extensive repertoire which featured works of Schumann, Chopin, Albeniz, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Chopin, Liszt, and Filipino composer, Abelardo. The historic concert venue was built in 1762 by Julius Heinrich Schwarze. It was completely destroyed in 1945 during the second world war, and reconstructed in 2000.
Some of Germany’s most distinguished composers and pianists, including Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann and Marie Wieck, have played in the same baroque ballroom located in the Coselpalais at the Frauenkirche.
Philippine Honorary Consul Hartmut Fromm thanked and acknowledged Dr. Raul Sunico as the audience gave a loud and long ovation
Dr. Sunico graduated from the University of the Philippines with degrees in Bachelor of Music (cum laude), Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and Master of Statistics. A scholarship through the Young Artists Foundation of the Philippines enabled him to obtain a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School in New York and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, Major in Piano Performance from the New York University. He is concurrently the President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Dean of the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. END
Concert Pianist Dr. Raul Sunico (third from right) and Ambassador Melita S. Sta. Maria-Thomeczek (fourth from right) with embassy personnel and guests from the Filipino community.
Kalayaan 2016: Simultaneous Flag Ceremonies Observed Across Germany in Commemoration of Philippine Independence
After the singing of the National Anthem, officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin invited consular applicants to partake in the ceremonial cutting of the independence day cake.
13 June 2016. In celebration of the Philippine Independence Day, simultaneous flag ceremonies took place across Germany at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, the Philippine Consulate General in Essen and the Philippine Consulate in Dresden. Due to the rainy weather, no actual raising of the flag was done in the 3 capitals; instead, the Filipino Community stood at attention before the flag inside the premises of the Embassy and Consulates and sang the Philippine National Anthem. Representatives from the Embassy and the Consulates read the Philippine President`s Independence Day message. Members of the Filipino Community were then invited to the reception hosted by each Office. END
The Philippine Consulate in Dresden observed their first Flag Ceremony at the new premises of the Consulate in the presence of Ambassador Melita S. Sta. Maria-Thomeczek. The flag used for the ceremony, was personally handsewn by a German Consulate staff in time for the occasion
The Filipino community in Essen, clad in Filipinianas, joined the Philippine Consulate General in Essen at the Flag Ceremony and reception.
Kalayaan 2016: Holy Mass offered for the Philippines in Berlin and Stuttgart
Officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin led by Consul General Donna Rodriguez joined the Philippine Community in celebrating the Santa Misa Para sa Bayan. Attendees were in their Filipiana best. (2) The special mass started with the Philippine National Anthem.
12 June 2016. On the occasion of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, a “Santa Misa Para sa Bayan” (Holy Mass for the Country) was offered in Berlin and Stuttgart.
In Berlin, the Philippine Embassy cooperated with the Filipino Catholic Community of Berlin in having a special program to mark the anniversary. The Santa Misa held at the Heilig-Geist-Kirche in Bayernallee started with attendees singing “Lupang Hinirang” (Chosen Land), the Philippine National Anthem. Filipino Chaplain Fr. Jun de Ocampo led the celebration and said the entire Mass in Filipino, it ended with the patriotic song, “Pilipinas Kong Mahal.”
A Salu-salo at the Church hall followed the celebration of the mass
Souvenirs from the Philippine Department of Tourism in Frankfurt were given away as gifts after both the mass in Stuttgart and Berlin.
Meanwhile, the Mass in Stuttgart was held at the Domkirche St. Eberhard. Fr. Franz Brendle offered special prayers for the Philippines. He acknowledged the presence of Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Zeidler, Philippine Honorary Consul General for Baden Wuerttemburg. Music was provided by the Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz).
Stuttgart. Ambassador Melita S. Sta. Maria-Thomeczek thanked the Katholische Kirchengemeinde St. Eberhard Stuttgart for offering prayers for the Philippines on the occasion of the Philippine Independence Day. She also thanked Philippine Honorary Consul General in Badem-Wuerttemberg Prof. Dr. Gerhard Zeidler for making arrangements for the mass and bringing the Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz) to Stuttgart. She further acknowledged Conductor Mark Anthony Carpio and the Madz who lent their voices to make the celebration of the Holy Eucharist more special.
After the Liturgical Mass, the Madz presented a one-hour program and regaled attendees with both Filipino and international songs. Their conductor, Mark Anthony Carpio, chose to end the program with a choral arrangement of The Dawn´s “Iisang Bangka” (Just One Boat) signifying unity among Filipinos in times of adversity. END
Consul General Donna M. Rodriguez delivered President Benigno S. Aquino´s Independence Day message before the community. Filipinos and their German spouses filled the church to capacity and celebrated Philippine Independence day in solidarity.
A salu-salo at the church hall followed after the Mass courtesy of the Philippine Embassy wherein Filipino food took center stage.