Philippines is Guest of Honor at Terras Sem Sombra Festival 2025

LISBON 13 March 2025 — The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon hosted the press launch of the 21st Edition of the Terras Sem Sombra Festival on 11 March 2025 at the Philippine Embassy Chancery. The 6-month festival brings together artists from around the world to share with the people of Portugal’s Alentejo region the importance of music, heritage, and biodiversity.

Since 2019, the Philippine Embassy has been collaborating with the Terras Sem Sombra Festival in bringing Filipino artists and award-winning performers in various municipalities in Alentejo.

For this year´s edition, the Festival organizers proudly announced the Philippines as the Country Guest of Honor, a recognition of the tremendous success and lasting impact left by six previous concerts of Filipino artists over the Municipalities of Cuba, Ferreira do Alentejo, Odemira, Mourão, Mértola, and Arronches.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Paul Raymund P. Cortes expressed deep pride in the Philippines being named as Country Guest of Honor. "Today, we celebrate not just the start of another remarkable chapter of the Festival, but a milestone in the cultural exchange between the Philippines and Portugal. We are profoundly honored to be the Country Guest of Honor, a testament to the enduring partnership and shared passion for the arts that we have cultivated with the Terras Sem Sombra team," the Ambassador said. The Philippines is the first Asian country to be featured as Guest of Honor in the Terras Sem Sombras Festival since its inception in 2003.

Dr. Jose Antonio Falcão, Artistic Director of Terras Sem Sombra Festival, provided an outline of the 2025 Program of the Festival. He also highlighted the diverse and compelling lineup of Filipino artists set to perform and provide the Portuguese audience a unique experience that will allow them to further appreciate and understand the rich artistic traditions of the Philippines. Dr. Falcao extended his deep appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for its unwavering support and collaboration in sharing Filipino culture to the Festival.

During the launch, a special preview of the festival’s inaugural concert was performed by Filipina soprano, Ms. Antoni Mendezona, accompanied by esteemed Portuguese Maestro Nuno Margarido Lopes. Their captivating performance provided a glimpse of the festival’s opening concert, which will take place on 15 March 2025 at the Igreja de Arraiolos.

Some 80 guests attended the press launch including several town mayors of  Portugal’s Alentejo region, prominent members of the Portuguese media, representatives from the diplomatic corps, and members of the Filipino community. Guests were also treated to a reception featuring authentic Filipino cuisine, including the popular dishes of adobo, barbeque, pancit and kakanin.

As the Country Guest of Honor for this year’s Terras Sem Sombra Festival, the Philippine Embassy seeks to not only share the vibrant stories and cultural narratives of the Philippines but also ignite meaningful dialogues and foster deeper connections between the Filipino and Portuguese communities. END

For more information, visit https://www.lisbonpe.dfa.gov.ph,  https://www.facebook.com/PHLinPortugal/ or https://www.instagram.com/phinportugal/.