DFA Celebrates 75 Years of Philippines-Canada Friendship
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Migration Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega (left), Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. David Bruce Hartman (center), and Office of American Affairs (OAA) Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga (right) officially open the photo exhibit titled L’Histoire D’Une Amitié: Isang Pagbabaliktanaw Sa Pitongpu’t-Limang Taon Na Pagkakaibigan Ng Pilipinas At Canada, organized by OAA to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada. (Photo courtesy by DFA-OPD James Ryan Artiaga)
MANILA 28 November 2024 - The Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of American Affairs successfully staged a photo exhibit titled “L’Histoire D’Une Amitié: Isang Pagbabaliktanaw Sa Pitongpu’t-Limang Taon Na Pagkakaibigan Ng Pilipinas At Canada from 19 to 21 November 2024 at the 2nd Floor Activity Center of Ayala Malls Manila Bay. The exhibit commemorated the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada, celebrating decades of friendship and cooperation.
The Opening Ceremony on 19 November 2024 was graced by distinguished guests, including DFA officials led by Undersecretary for Migration Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega, Department of Migrant Workers Assistant Secretary Mario Zinampan, Embassy of Canada officials headed by Ambassador David Bruce Hartman, and members of the Diplomatic Corps. Representatives of various organizations, and students from Lyceum of the Philippines University, also attended.
In his welcome remarks, Assistant Secretary José Victor Chan-Gonzaga highlighted the strengthening relations between the Philippines and Canada, saying that “these documents and photographs on display capture the evolution of the bond between our countries from mere trade relations to the strong and deep partnership we have today,” as he shared his comments on the archived documents on display, including amusing observations on Manila’s bustling traffic and honking horns dating back as 1950.
Undersecretary de Vega, in his keynote address, described the 75th Anniversary as more than a celebration, and likened it to “a renaissance in our partnership.” He emphasized the numerous meaningful collaborations, partnerships and agreements that have been forged and signed across all sectors, saying “we look toward a future brimming with promise and potential”.
For his part, Ambassador Hartman expressed his appreciation to the DFA, expressing “We stand in solidarity with you in celebrating the countless friendships, partnerships, and familial bonds that have grown and will continue to grow between Canadians and Filipinos,” and adding that Canada will remain excited and passionate in further unlocking the potential of bilateral relations beyond this anniversary year.
The exhibit offered glimpses into the first communications between the two governments, high-level engagements between the two nations’ leaders, and photos of agreements, partnerships, and activities that have strengthened economic ties and encouraged further exchanges in various aspects of culture, defense, and community-building. Cultural celebrations hosted by the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General in Canada, and the Embassy of Canada in Manila were also highlighted to show the people-to-people engagements conducted to promote each other’s’ culture in the two countries.
Exhibit goers also experienced interactive activities that show the commonalities between the Philippines and Canada. Colors of Friendship encouraged attendees to express their creativity through the painting of flowers and scenes featured in the Panagbenga Festival of Baguio and the Tulip Festival of Ottawa. The Rodeo Adventure allowed participants to experience the shared rodeo culture as celebrated in Masbate through the Rodeo Masbateño Festival, and the Calgary Stampede in Alberta. A photo booth also enabled viewers of the exhibit to capture the connection between the two countries through the use of location pin props, where they would select their province in the Philippines, and a corresponding province in Canada where a family or friend lives in Canada to show that all Filipinos have a link to Canada.
The exhibit’s centerpiece was a map honoring Filipino-Canadians and their achievements to demonstrate, through the recognition of their stories of migration, the significant and invaluable contributions of individual Filipinos to furthering the ties that bind the two countries.
The exhibit welcomed more than 450 visitors, including mallgoers and passers-by – 153 men, 198 women, 3 children, and 103 students from schools such as the Philippine School for the Deaf, Lyceum of the Philippines University, University of Santo Tomas, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Far Eastern University Alabang, and Tambo National High School. END
University students view an exchange of letters from the Global Affairs Canada archives, which show the appointment of the first Consul of the Philippines to Vancouver, Canada. (photo credits to DFA-OPD James Ryan Artiaga)
(Left): Students express their creativity by painting sceneries from the flower festivals of the Philippines and Canada. (Right): Mall-goers experience the thrill of the surprising rodeo connection of the two countries by riding the mechanical bull.
The centerpiece “Inspiring Journeys: Honoring Filipino-Canadian Achievers share the migration stories of various Filipino-Canadians that have contributed to furthering the deep connection between the peoples of the Philippines and Canada.
