DFA Celebrates World Poetry Day with Spoken Word Poets
The poets left the audience enthralled as they presented woven stanzas that celebrated and explored the experiences of being a woman. In the photo collage are (clockwise from left): Ms. Virginia Pasalo with Deborah Afuang, Katha Na with Alon Segarra, Aubrey Salvador and Verlin Santos, Ms. Marites Rogado of Linangan sa Imahe, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA), Ms. Heidi Mendoza, and Nicanor Germono Jr.
PASAY CITY 27 March 2023 – The Department of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, and the Provincial Government of Pangasinan Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office hosted a spoken word event entitled: “Legacies and Statement: Weaving Stanzas, Weaves in Stanzas” on 21 March 2023 at the Carlos P. Romulo Library.
The event featured performances from Pangasinense poets and other local artists: Virginia Pasalo of the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission, Alon Segarra, Nicanor Germono Jr., Marites Rogado, Verlin Santos, Aubrey Salvador, Deborah Afuang, and former Undersecretary General for the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight, Heidi Mendoza.
This activity served as a culminating event for Women’s Month, and capped a two (2) week-long exhibit on the life of the late Honorable Geronima Tomelden-Pecson, a Filipina leader who was UNESCO’s first woman official of its Executive Board (EB) elected in 1950, and was also the first woman senator of the Philippines.
Assistant Secretary Arvin De Leon delivers the Opening Remarks during the event on 21 March 2023. (DFA-OPCD photo by Camille Barizo)
In his message, the Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy Assistant Secretary Arvin R. de Leon said that “in recent years, great strides have been made towards realizing the immense power and strength of women. Although there is still so much more that we could do, we should be thankful that we live in a society that does not limit the potential of what women and girls can achieve.”
Secretary General Ivan Anthony S. Henares officially closes the event on poetry reading. (DFA-OPCD photo by Camille Barizo)
In his closing remarks, Secretary General Ivan Anthony S. Henares of UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines said that: “I believe that this is not the last, but only the start of our many more fruitful partnerships together for cultural diplomacy and women empowerment and gender equality for a better Philippines and world that will unfold generations away from us now. Like poetry which is often accompanied by music and other performances, let us also keep our sincerest words alive, be it in our policies or creative outputs, with actions that are compassionate to differences.”
DFA-OPCD Assistant Secretary Arvin de Len (5th from left) and UNACOM Secretary General Ivan Henares (4th from left) were joined by the artists after the final poetry presentation.