06 December 2016, Rome – The Philippine Embassy in Rome and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) launched Sentro Rizal in Rome on November 29.

During the inauguration, Philippine Ambassador to Italy Domingo P. Nolasco, Jr., and NCCA Chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr. signed a memorandum of understanding on Sentro Rizal between the Embassy and the NCCA. A ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened Rome’s Sentro Rizal.

“With a Sentro Rizal branch in Rome, Filipinos, Italians, and anyone interested, will have access to programs and activities on Philippine culture, arts, and language. We will have a physical space where children of overseas Filipinos can be educated of their roots and the interested to learn about the Philippines,” said Ambassador Nolasco during his welcome remarks.

Filipino community members, including Filipino youth, members of the diplomatic and art community, and officials of the Knights of Rizal, a non-government association dedicated to promoting Dr. Jose Rizal’s work attended the launch.

During the event, Chairman de Leon delivered a lecture on the Filipino World View, discussing the unique “genius” of Filipinos as a culture and why overseas Filipinos have been successful abroad. The lecture provided an opportunity for Italians and Filipino-Italians to have a better understanding of Filipino culture.

Curators from the Philippine Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, Architects Juan Paolo dela Cruz and Sudarshan Khadka, Jr. also gave a lecture on the Philippines’ exhibit in the biennale. They discussed the current state Philippine architecture and urban development in Metro Manila. END