SMAK!  – 1^st Stage Production of Filipino Artist Khavn de la Cruz to  Premiere in Berlin

Filipino artist, filmmaker, musician and performer Khavn dela Cruz, in partnership with the German Federal Cultural Foundation, is set to premiere his first cross-genre stage production, “SMAK! SuperMacho AntiKristo – A Headless 100-Act Opera” at Berlin´s most iconic theater, “Volksbühne”, on 13 April 2022.  The show will run until end of April 2022.  

According to the German Federal Cultural Foundation, SMAK! is a reflection of the artistic theory and practice of the great theatre avant-gardist of the 19th-century  Alfred Jarry, juxtaposed with a literary reanimation of the unfinished novel “Makamisa” by Philippine national hero José Rizal.

The production features a mix of international artists which boasts of Filipino talents from its scriptwriters Khavn, Douglas Candano and Homer Novicio to its cast members which include singer-actor Bituin Escalante, filmmaker-cartoonist Rox Lee, singer-composer Bullet Dumas, theater actors Bong Cabrera and King Jon, and its stage and costume designer, Leeroy New. The script is also co-written by German author and musician Brezel Göring (Stereo Total) and stars the German actress Lilith Stangenberg, with artistic direction by Anna Heesen.

During the welcome dinner hosted by the Philippine Embassy for the production team, Charge d’Affaires,a.i. Lillibeth V. Pono expressed admiration for the recognition accorded in Germany to  the Filipino artists, and lauded the strong partnership between the Philippines and Germany in the field of culture and arts. END

BERLIN PE PARTNERS WITH NELSON MANDELA SCHOOL FOR A FUN MASSKARA FESTIVAL ART ACTIVITY

1 March 2022, Berlin, Germany – The Philippine Embassy in Berlin partnered with the Nelson Mandela School (NMS) Class Flex E composed of students from Grades 1 and 2, for a fun art activity on the occasion of the Karnivale.  Ms. Lynda Sylvester, a Filipina class adviser in the NMS, thought of bringing in the Filipino culture in the said celebration by tapping the children´s artistic side in making masks, as locals in Bacolod City would during the city’s  celebration of the Masskara Festival.

The Philippine Embassy provided the Masskara Festival kits which contained materials for mask making, including information on the festival and Bacolod City.   The Karnivale/Fasching is an annual pre-Lent celebration in Europe wherein children and even adults are allowed to come in to school or places of work wearing costumes.  In other parts of Europe, a Fasching parade is held to usher in the Lenten season.

The Embassy gladly welcomed this partnership as it is aligned with its thrust in promoting Philippine culture.  Students of the Flex E Class enjoyed the said activity immensely.   END

22 February 2022 — The Philippine Embassy in Berlin convened a virtual coordination meeting among various posts and attached agencies comprising Team Philippines in Germany.

The meeting provided Philippine Government representatives covering Germany an opportunity to take stock of their initiatives and projects in 2021 and identify programs and activities for the year, in line with the three pillars of Philippine foreign  policy and the respective mandates of the attached agencies.

A common thread among the initiatives identified were the so-called 8Cs, namely — COVID-19; community; consultation; collaboration; communication/coordination; cooperation; campaigns/commemorations/ celebrations; and lastly, continuity.

Participants of the meeting were:  the entire officer complement of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin – CDA a.i. Lillibeth Pono, Minister and Consul Gerardo Abiog, Minister and Consul Maryluck Hicarte and Vice-Consul and Third Secretary Mina Ganzon; from the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt – Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon-Abalos and Vice-Consul Fatima Mueller; from the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Berlin – Commercial Counselor Nicanor Bautista;  from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO)-Berlin – Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz,  Assistant  Labor Attaché Delle Palomar and Welfare Officer Sylvia Gabriel;  from DOT-Frankfurt –  Tourism Director Margarita Valdes;  Agriculture Attaché and Deputy Permanent Representative to Rome-based UN offices Dr. Josyline Javelosa;  Philippine Defense Attaché Col. Dennis C. Gutierrez PA (GSC);  Philippine Honorary Consul for Bavaria Stefan Detig;  and Philippine Honorary Consul Dr. Axel Neumahr and Ms. Rhoda Steegmaier of the PHL  Consulate in Baden-Württemberg.

27 November 2021 — The Philippine Embassy in Berlin, headed by Charge d’Affaires, a.i. Lillibeth Pono, hosted an informal networking event with Halo-Halo, a group of Germans with roots in the Philippines.  Sixteen Halo-Halo members participated in the event.  Among them were three women from Henerasyon 2.0, a German podcast on Philippine culture which started in early 2021 but has since gained traction among Germans with links to the Philippines. 

In her welcome remarks, CDA Pono discussed the Embassy’s efforts to reach out and exchange views with various groups, and find synergies with them on the promotion of the Philippines in Germany. 

Topics raised included the promotion of greater awareness of the Filipino culture among Germans; the Philippine studies programs in the University of Hamburg and the Humboldt University, and the intention of the group to travel to the Philippines to immerse themselves in Filipino culture, when the public health situation permits. Also raised were consular queries on dual citizenship and civil registration.