Geneva, Switzerland Welcomes Christmas Season with Paskong Pinoy 2017
Personnel and staff of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, led by Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Maria Teresa T. Almojuela (fourth from left), perform “Mano Po Ninong, Mano Po Ninang” during the Paskong Pinoy celebration.
19 December 2017 GENEVA — The Filipino community in Geneva and Vaud, Switzerland welcomed the Christmas season with the 3rd Paskong Pinoy celebration at the Salle des Asters, in Servette, Geneva, Switzerland on December 02.
The Paskong Pinoy is a yearly Christmas celebration of the Filipino community in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud, Switzerland. It is a brainchild of the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Geneva.
“The Paskong Pinoy is aimed at giving our kababayans who are unable to go home to the Philippines an opportunity to experience a Filipino style Christmas celebration in Geneva in Switzerland,” explained Consul General Enrico T. Fos.
PCG Geneva collaborates with Ugnayang Bayan to hold this event. Ugnayang Bayan is the umbrella federation of several Filipino organizations in Geneva and Vaud.
“Maraming nagbabago sa ating buhay bawat taon. Lahat ay nalalaos, lumilipas, pero ang Pasko ng Pilipino ay hindi kumukupas sa pagdaan ng panahon. Iyan ang magic ng Paskong Pilipino,” Ambassador Maria Teresa T. Almojuela, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva said in welcoming the participants to the Paskong Pinoy.
Over the years, the Paskong Pinoy attracted an increasing number of attendees and performances from the Filipino community. More than 600 guests made it to Paskong Pinoy this year, making this the Paskong Pinoy with the most attendees since its start in 2015.
This year’s Paskong Pinoy included a separate Kids program entitled “Para sa mga Bata” which featured performances from children from different Filipino organizations, games and gift-giving with Santa Claus.
Paskong Pinoy’s main program showcased different individual and group song and dance numbers from different Filipino faith based and community organizations such as El Shaddai, Geneva Christian Center (GCC), Filipino Catholic Community in Geneva (FCCG), Come to Jesus Fellowship International (CTJFI), and Samahang Impok ng Kapatiran Pilipino (SIKAP).
The song and dance performance of the personnel of the PCG Geneva and Philippine Permanent Mission to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva at the beginning of the main program, was followed by community singing of “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit” and, an interactive dance with gongs led by the different Igorot associations in Geneva.
The Paskong Pinoy also featured a raffle of gifts and the community salu-salo which served more than 50 types of food from the Filipino community. To close the celebration, there was a community Zumba dance which the audience actively participated in. END
For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/genevapcg.