18 November 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Berlin recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Germany by hosting a gala concert that featured the world renowned Bayanihan, the National Folk Dance Company of the Philippines. The gala dinner and concert welcomed Ambassador Clemens von Goetze of the Federal Foreign Office and Madame Gretchen del Rosario as the guests of honor as well as Philippine parliamentarians that included Senators Sergio R. Osmeña III, Loren B. Legarda and Gregorio B. Honasan II, Representatives Rufus B. Rodriguez, Arlene J. Bag-ao, Teddy Brawner Baguilat, Francisco T. Matugas, Agapito H. Guanlao, George P. Arnaiz and other high level officials.
The event began with the launch of the commemorative coffee table book “Freundschaft Pagkakaibigan: Sixty Years of Friendship between Germany and the Philippines”, which was produced by Ms. Marily Y. Orosa, co-edited by Dr. Isagani Cruz, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe Natividad, and Ms. Charlotte Bandelow, and published by Studio 5 Design, Inc.
The coffee table book focuses on the various dimensions of Philippine-German relations, including business links, development cooperation, and people-to-people connections. Highlights include profiles on the history of Rizal in Germany, the work of non-government organizations (NGOs) such as the AFOS Foundation, the Benedictine Sisters of the Philippines and the Goethe Institut Philippinen.
During her remarks, Madame Del Rosario emphasized that her visit was helping her to retrace her childhood roots, having grown up in Hamburg during the 1950s and 1960s when her father Dr. Policronio R. de Venecia was assigned as the first Filipino diplomat in the country. She expressed confidence in the prospects for future relations, since both countries continued to be open and accepting societies.
For her part, Ambassador Natividad emphasized the renewed intensity in Philippine-German relations. “I believe that the visit of President Aquino and the candid discussions with Chancellor Merkel have sown the seeds for a more comprehensive partnership which we can pursue in the long term,” she said. Director General for Asia Ambassador Clemens von Goetze echoed this perspective and lauded the Embassy’s ability to transcend recent challenges and chart a new and highly promising new chapter in Philippine-German relations.
The Bayanihan Dance Company, whose program was conceptualized by its Executive Director Suzie Benitez, Music Director Melito Vale Cruz and Choreographer Ferdinand Jose, showcased the breadth in musical traditions of the Philippines, spanning indigenous, Muslim, Spanish, and American-inspired themes. A vast array of dance and music numbers such as Bagobo-Tiboli, Torneo, Singkil, Pandanggo, Maglalatik, Subli and Tinikling were presented before a delighted audience of 200.
The event was spearheaded by the Philippine Embassy in Berlin in cooperation with the Philippine Honorary Consulates in Stuttgart, Munich, Essen and Dresden. END