New Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega joined two events marking the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence in Stuttgart, Germany on 12 and 13 June 2019.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega delivered an Independence Day message at a Reception for Stuttgart local officials, Business Community, Filipino Community members, members of the Consular Corps organized by the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Stuttgart headed by Honorary Consul Dr. Axel Neumahr.

In her message, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega encouraged more dynamic engagement between the Philippines and Germany particularly in the economic field. She likewise stated, paraphrasing national hero Dr.Jose P.Rizal that “Germany will always occupy a special place in the pages of our history by providing a welcoming haven for Dr. Rizal during the creation of many of his most enduring works.”

Philippine Consul General in Frankfurt Evelyn Austria-Garcia, Deputy Consul General Emil Fernandez, and Tourism Representative Margarita Valdes also graced the occasion.

The following day, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega delivered a message and joined members of the Filipino Community of Stuttgart and nearby cities at a Special Independence Day Mass presided over by Filipino Chaplain Fr. Jonathan Galope Ramoso. The activity was jointly organized by the Honorary Consulate in Stuttgart represented by Consular Assistant Rhoda Steegmaer on behalf of Dr. Neumahr, the Philippinische Muttersprache Gemeinschaft (PGM), and the Philippine American German Association in Stuttgart (PAGASA).

The event was capped by a special performance by the award-winning Filipino Choral Group IMUSICAPELLA who won the hearts of the Filipino- German audience with a Philippine, German, and pop repertoire. END

Philippine Ambassador-designate to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega was among the special guests at the last performance of “The True Story of King Kong” a new opera written by famed Filipino composer Jeffrey Ching. The opera, essentially a re-telling of the popular King Kong story weaves in themes of discrimination, racism, identity, inclusiveness, and diversity in society.

The innovative staging incorporating video techniques, puppetry, and pantomime made for a compelling presentation. The opera staging ran for six (6) performances at the Magdeburg Schauspielhaus.  The work was commissioned by Theater Magdeburg’s Opera House and was undertaken in cooperation with the Puppentheater Magdeburg, winner of the prestigious Bundes Theater Prize.

The international cast of classical singers and performers included Mr. Ching’s spouse, the acclaimed Filipino soprano Andion Fernandez who once again excelled in the one of the principal roles.

Both Mr. Ching and Ms. Fernandez continue to premiere new works and perform in Germany. Jeffrey Ching is set to premier a new work in the coming months as he continues to blaze trails in the classical and new music scene in Europe. END

The celebration of National Heritage Month was marked by the Filipino community with a traditional Santacruzan procession last May 26 in Berlin’s Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district.

The Catholic celebration commemorates Roman Empress Helena’s finding of the true cross, enriched with elements of Filipino culture and society, such as the inclusion of the indigenous, non-Christian Aetas and the Reyna Mora (Muslim Queen).

In her remarks during the event, Ambassador-designate Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega underscored the message of inclusivity which the Santacruzan conveys and the openness of Filipino society. She also expressed appreciation for the youth’s participation and the community’s efforts to keep their Filipino heritage alive.

The Ambassador led the Philippine Embassy contingent in this year’s procession, which included Ms. Carolyn Ramoran-Malasig as Reyna Banderada (Queen of the Banner), the character that heralds the arrival of Christianity.

The event was organized by the Filipino community led by Fr. Jun de Ocampo, SVD, and was participated in by first and second generation members of Filipino-German families who took the role of various religious and historical figures.

Churchgoers and Embassy personnel gathered for an open-air salu-salo after the event and enjoyed home-cooked Filipino dishes and desserts that were on offer. END

The Philippine Embassy and Sentro Rizal Berlin celebrated National Heritage Month with a special screening last May 23 of Ida Anita del Mundo’s “K’Na, The Dreamweaver.”

 Set in picturesque Lake Sebu in South Cotabato province, the story revolves around the character K’Na, a young T’boli princess who is caught between love and her duty to her community.

The film brought front and center the life and culture of Mindanao’s T’boli people, especially their weaving practices. Dubbed as “dreamweavers,” T’boli women are known for the t’nalak cloth whose intricate designs are believed to be the products of dreams.

Ambassador-designate Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega personally welcomed the audience made up of individuals from the diplomatic corps, academe, media, arts scene, and the expatriate and Filipino communities.

In her remarks, the Ambassador thanked the audience for joining the Embassy in celebrating National Heritage Month, as well as the unique way of life of the Philippines’ indigenous communities that is little known to the outside world.

 

The audience expressed appreciation for the rare opportunity to take a closer look at T’boli culture. They were pleasantly surprised to know that the Philippines is even more culturally and linguistically diverse than they previously thought.

Guests from the Akademie Mode und Design, one of Berlin’s major fashion design schools, who were into sustainable fashion were particularly impressed with the t’nalak, some of which were on display at the Embassy lobby.

Completing the cultural experience, the audience enjoyed Filipino empanada and rice cakes, and three lucky guests received special handcrafted prizes from the Philippines.

The screening was made possible through the cooperation of Director Ida Del Mundo, Producer Clodualdo Del Mundo, Executive Producers Eduardo Rocha, Fernando Ortigas, and Vincent Nebrida, and screenwriter and film scholar Gil Quito.

The event was capped by an engaging discussion led by Ambassador Dizon-de Vega on the film and the cultural milieu on which it was based. END