PH Embassy in Ankara Holds 5th Annual Parol Festival
Ambassador to Turkey Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez delivering her message to the Filipino Community. (Ankara PE photo)
ANKARA 18 January 2019 — The Fifth Annual Parol Festival in Turkey was held on 09 December 2018 at the Philippine Embassy in Ankara with the theme "Ilaw ng Pasko, Nagbibigay Saya sa Mundo” (The Light of the Season, Bringing Joy to the World).
Around 250 people attended the event from the Filipino and Turkish communities, including judges from the various Turkish governmental institutions and international organizations. The event featured Filipino cuisine in a salo-salo lunch prior to the festival’s program.
Present during the occasion were Turkish Social Security Institution Social Security Expert Fetullah Evliyaoglu, Turkish Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Security Labor Expert Necla Uz, International Organization for Migration in Ankara Coordinator Tomaso De Cataldo, Turkish Foreign Ministry First Secretary and Directorate General for Protocol Arzu Karakas, and International Health Association’s Dr. Fulya Saglik.
A total of 19 entries were judged according to the following criteria: relevance to the theme, creativity, uniqueness and/or originality, types of recycled materials used, and neatness of the Parol and craftsmanship.
Judges were Professor Dr. Tugba Ozturk from the Faculty of Educational Services of Ankara University, Professor Dr. Selcuk Colakoglu, Director of the Turkish Center for Asia Pacific Studies, and Father Jean Marc Balhan of the Meryem Ana Church in Ankara. A representative for each entry was on hand to respond to the judges’ queries on their parols.
The top three entries were awarded with cash prizes of 750 Turkish liras, 500 Turkish liras and 250 Turkish liras respectively. All the other participants were each given certificates of appreciation and a bottle of wine.
The Parol Festival was capped with the Community singing of “Let there be Peace on Earth” at the Embassy garden, prior to the countdown for the lighting of the parols. Once the parols were lit, the Community sang “Pasko Na Naman” “Sa Maybahay ang Aming Bati,” and “Kumukutikutitap.” END
For more information, visit www.ankarape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinTurkey.
First Prize: A star-shaped parol with a globe in the center made of old plastic straws, mussel shells, cartons and paper, an entry of Jane Barrios, Rea Castillo and Rowena Asuncion awarded by Father Jean Marc Balhan. (Ankara PE photo)
Second Prize: A star-shaped parol made of cartons and sticks, with a native house at the center, an entry of Marisa Isbilir, Cetin Isbilir and Imee Burlaza awarded by Professor Dr. Selcuk Colakoglu, Director of the Turkish Center for Asia Pacific Studies. (Ankara PE photo)
Third Prize: A star-shaped parol made of used plastic spoons, flowers of pine trees, dried twigs, and old sacks, an entry of Nalida Bonto, Alex Bonto and Alyana Bonto awarded by Professor Dr. Tugba Ozturk, Faculty of Educational Services of Ankara University. (Ankara PE photo)