Philippine Folk Dances Captivate Audiences at Carnevale Di Venezia

VENICE 04 March 2025 – The Philippines made a successful debut at the world-renowned Carnevale di Venezia with Filipino folk dances captivating a massive audience at Piazza San Marco in the heart of Venice on Saturday, 01 March 2025.

Thirty-six dancers from three Filipino dance troupes delivered a 30-minute performance, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines. The London-based Lahing Kayumanggi Dance Company presented a diverse tapestry of dances from various regions of the archipelago, while the Filipino Communities of Vicenza and Venezia showcased the Sinulog and the Bulaklakan, respectively.

"We hope that after watching these dances, you will fall in love with the Philippines and make you want to visit the 7,600 islands that make up our country," Consul General Elmer G. Cato told the audience, which included a significant number of Italian and international visitors.

The participation of the Philippines in this prestigious event was a collaborative effort between the Philippine Consulate General in Milan, the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Venice, and the Department of Tourism.

Consul General Cato emphasized the significance of this debut in raising the profile of the Philippines in Italy, a nation that not only hosts the largest Filipino community in the European Union, numbering nearly 200,000, but also represents a rapidly recovering tourism market for the Philippines in Europe.

“We hope that with our participation in the Carnevale, we would get more Italians and other foreigners to take a second look at the Philippines and see what it has to offer,” he stated.

The Carnevale di Venezia, with its origins dating back to 1162, when Venetians gathered and danced at St. Mark’s Square to celebrate a military victory.  It has become one of the most popular carnivals in the world, drawing as many as three million tourists annually, making it a pivotal platform for cultural exchange.

“Our successful participation at the Carnevale di Venezia stands as a powerful testament to Filipino 'bayanihan,' or communal unity, demonstrating that with collective effort, we can achieve anything”, Consul General Cato said. END

Venezia Filipino Community Dance Group performing the Bulaklakan

Vicenza Filipino Community Dance Group performing the Sinulog

For more information, visit https://www.milanpcg.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinMilan/.