18 November 2013 – In line with its mission to promote cultural diplomacy and to enhance awareness of the Portuguese public on the culture and history of the Philippines, the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon headed by Ambassador Philippe Lhuillier donated 20 books to the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (BNP) on November 14.
The donated books which came from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will complement the limited literature on the Philippines at Portugal´s national library, which are mostly books and maps about history and ancient voyages in the Portuguese and Spanish languages dating back to the 17th and 18th century.
Ambassador Lhuillier formally turned over the books to Director General Maria Ines Cordeiro in a simple ceremony held at the BNP´s elegant conference room attended by Embassy and BNP officials, department heads and representatives from the Portuguese Diplomatic Institute and the Instituto Camões. The Ambassador promised Ms. Cordeiro that the 20 books are just an initial donation and that he is looking forward to donate more Philippine books in the future.
In accepting the donation, the Director General mentioned that the BNP is also planning to donate a number of Portuguese books to the National Library of the Philippines through the Embassy. Both officials are hopeful that this event will open the window for greater cooperation on cultural and information exchange between Portugal and the Philippines. END
