Sant Jordi Festival 2024 Welcomes Debut of Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona
BARCELONA 30 April 2024 – In harmony with the spirit of literary celebration, the Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona joined, for the first time ever, the vibrant festivities of one of Barcelona’s biggest celebrations, the Día de Sant Jordi (St. George’s Day) Festival 2024, held on 23 April 2024. The occasion not only coincided with the observance of World Book Day, which was originally proposed by a publisher from Barcelona, Vicente Clavel Andres as a way to honor Miguel de Cervantes, but also aligned with Philippine Presidential Proclamation No. 968, declaring April every year as National Literature Month.
Taking advantage of this literary fervor, the Consulate General actively participated in the city-wide festival, which transformed Barcelona into a bustling open-air book fair. Hundreds of thousands of visitors roamed the streets, exploring diverse literary offerings. At the Philippine booth, a curated selection of books about the Philippines—authored in Catalan and Castellano by local writers—was prominently featured. Three esteemed Catalan authors, Josep Torrents, Salvador Alegret and Jordi Verdaguer, joined the Philippine booth, displaying their works that weave the historical connection between the Philippines and Spain.
The response from festival goers was overwhelmingly positive, with Filipinos and locals alike flocking to the Philippine booth to explore the diverse array of books and cultural items on display. Ms. Marjory Gonzaga, an overseas Filipina residing in Barcelona, expressed her excitement when she saw Philippine flags as part of the festival. She also took the opportunity to secure Mr. Alegret’s book, Patriotes Filipins a Barcelona (Filipino Patriots in Barcelona), stating “The book will allow me to familiarize myself with the local language and at the same time learn more about Filipinos who lived in Barcelona in the latter part of the 19th century.”
Beyond literature, the Consulate General also promoted Philippine tourism and its services, capturing the interest of Spanish visitors and students from various institutions in Barcelona. The Consulate General’s participation in the festival served as an effective platform for fostering cultural exchange and enhancing understanding between the Philippines and Spain.
Philippine Consul General to Barcelona, Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro gladly welcomed a group of students during their visit to the Philippine booth and remarked, “I am glad of your enthusiastic response and interest and hope that you can visit the Consulate to learn more about the diversity of Philippine culture.”
Given the number of guests that visited the booth and the favorable response it garnered, the Consulate’s first ever participation in the festival was an effective way of promoting the Philippines and its people, society and culture. END
For more information,visit https://barcelonapcg.dfa.gov.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBarcelona/.