ARTbassadors: Art Workshop Held for FSO Cadets

Participants with Ambassador Norman Garibay (2nd row, 1st from the left) and Mr. Manny Garibay (center).

MANILA 16 October 2024 – The Foreign Service Institute (FSI), in collaboration with the Linangan Art Residency, hosted a specialized art workshop called Promoting Cultural Understanding and Diplomacy Through Art Education for Batch XXX of the Foreign Service Officers’ Cadetship Course (FSOCC). This initiative aimed to foster art appreciation and enhance cultural representation as these junior officers embark on their diplomatic careers.

Under the guidance of the prolific and internationally established painter Manny Garibay and retired career diplomat, Ambassador Norman Garibay, the workshop included a series of lectures and hands-on activities designed to inspire creativity in the portrayal of the Philippines' rich cultural heritage.

One session of this immersion module was the Imahe-Nasyon activity. This activity encouraged the participants to translate narratives into visual representations, creating collaborative images that reveal both cultural uniqueness and universal themes.

Tapping into the pillar of Cultural Diplomacy, Ambassador Garibay encouraged the junior diplomats to engage in critical thinking and explore innovative approaches to presenting Philippine culture and art.

The training module was conceptualized by FSI and the Linangan Art Residency in a luncheon last March 2024 at the DFA Executive Lounge.

The Linangan Art Residency is an alternative art school dedicated to fostering self- awareness and self-actualization among artists. END

Participants display their artwork from their Imahe-Nasyon activity.