Filipino, Other Southeast Asian Cuisines Take Center Stage at ASEAN Day Reception
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ambassadors, including Ambassador to Germany Ma. Theresa B.Dizon-De Vega (leftmost) with Bundestag’s ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group Chair and the event’s Guest of Honor Renate Künast (fourth from left), German Foreign Ministry Acting Director General for Asia and Pacific Affairs, Ambassador Petra Sigmund (sixth from left), and members of the German Bundestag. (Berlin PE photo)
BERLIN 04 October 2019 – Filipino and other Southeast Asian cuisines took center stage in a reception hosted by the Embassies of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the Maritim Pro-Arte Hotel in Berlin on 12 September 2019.
At the event, which was held in celebration of the organization’s 52nd founding anniversary, each of the 10 Embassies proudly presented dishes and desserts from each of their countries on tables adorned by unique cultural items.
Bundestag’s ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group Chair and the event’s Guest of Honor Renate Künast sampled the dishes and desserts on offer, including the Philippines’ palabok (a special noodle dish with shrimp sauce), chicken adobo (meat stewed in soy sauce and vinegar), and leche flan (custard).
The Philippine corner introduced an innovation by inviting guests to scan via their mobile devices a QR code on its food name stands to get an instant link to the recipes of the dishes they sampled.
ASEAN Ambassadors, including Ambassador to Germany Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega and Berlin ASEAN Committee Chair and Cambodian Ambassador Touch Sopharath, welcomed guests from the German Parliament, the Federal Foreign Office, Diplomatic Corps, and representatives of the embassies’ various local partners.
In her speech during the event, Ms.Künast took note of the lyrics of the ASEAN Anthem which says, “we dare to dream, we care to share together for ASEAN”. She also encouraged the organization “to continue dreaming and sharing,” not only within the organization, but also with Germany and other partners in the European Union.
She also lauded the organization’s efforts towards sustainable development, which is also one of her core advocacies as a parliamentarian.
For her part, German Foreign Ministry Acting Director General for Asia and Pacific Affairs Ambassador Petra Sigmund said that Germany, the European Union, and ASEAN are “natural partners” because of their adherence to the rules-based multilateral order.
She also announced Germany’s accession to ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which coincided with the reception. END
Ambassador Dizon-De Vega welcomed German parliamentarians who sampled the food at the Philippine corner. (Berlin PE photo)
Ms. Künast (left photo) and Ambassador Sigmund (right photo) deliver their respective speeches during the event. (Berlin PE photo)
The Philippine corner showcasing a variety of Filipino cuisine. (Berlin PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.berlinpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.de or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGermany.