19 December 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul participated in a charity concert with the diplomatic corps on December 16 organized and held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of Korea to raise cash donations for Syrian refugees as well as enhance the bonds among diplomats based in Seoul.
Korea’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se opened the MOFA-Diplomatic Corps Charity Concert to explain why he revived an old tradition of holding a yearend goodwill concert while Brunei Ambassador Dato Haji Harun, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Korea, thanked everyone for their efforts in joining the event despite their busy schedules.
“Participating and supporting this Charity Concert by the Foreign Ministry is another way to express our wholehearted appreciation to the host government’s assistance to our Embassy through the years” said Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul S. Hernandez who joined a group composed of 19 ambassadors and their spouses to perform at the concert.
The Diplomats’ Choir closed the concert with three songs, including a Korean folk song “Longing for Mt Kumgang” (Geuriun Geumgangsan), which they sang with Foreign Minister Yun.
The musical talents of the Embassy staff were showcased by the Embassy’s Cultural Officer Ms. Elaine M. Diza, and Public Diplomacy Officer Ms. Cheryl M. Navarro, as well as personnel from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office(POLO) consisting of Ms. Ma. Jhonna D. Fiedacan and Mr. Rene Mangune.
The Embassy staff’s performance was the first number among 12 teams in the program. They sang a Filipino patriotic song “Tagumpay Nating Lahat” (Our Victory), which was accompanied by a video containing an English translation.
The two-hour concert, the brain child of Foreign Minister Yun and the second of its kind following the one held last year, was attended by more than 200 members of the diplomatic corps and their families, journalists and MOFA staff. The audience gave voluntary cash donations in special envelopes at the entrance to the MOFA Auditorium.
The concert raised 11 million KRW (US$9,975) for donation to the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) for Syria at the Office the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The donation was handed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Shin Dong-ikto UNHCR Representative Dirk Hebecker on December 18. END