17 August 2024. In honor of the 2024 National Language Month and History Month, the Philippine Embassy in France organized a calligraphy workshop on Baybayin on 16 August 2024. The workshop was primarily attended by Embassy personnel onsite and Filipino community members online. Its aim was to educate Embassy staff about the Baybayin script and foster an appreciation for its role in Philippine pre-colonial history.
Philippine Ambassador to France, H.E. Junever Mahilum-West delivered her welcome remarks to onsite and online audience and emphasized the importance of learning baybayin.
The workshop, led by CalligraFilipino artist Taipan Lucero, provided insights into the history of Baybayin, its function as a writing system, and held an onsite writing session, and calligraphy practice. Lucero, known for using calligraphy and art to attract interest in Baybayin, shared his experience in Japanese calligraphy, which inspired him to promote Baybayin calligraphy.
CalligraFilipino artist, Taipan Lucero, discusses his experience in Japanese calligraphy as part of his inspiration to promote baybayin calligraphy as an art form.
Embassy personnel found the session engaging and relevant, recognizing the cultural diplomacy opportunities inherent in native art forms like CalligraFilipino. In France, calligraphy has roots dating back to the Middle Ages, utilized in specialized manuscripts and Catholic writings.
Embassy personnel eagerly participate in the baybayin workshop.
The Philippines is aspiring to include baybayin in UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register, reflecting its commitment to preserving this documentary heritage. UNESCO Permanent Representative, Ambassador Junever Mahilum-West highlighted the workshop's importance in showcasing the Philippines' linguistic and cultural diversity, underscoring the country's rich heritage of writing systems, languages, and societal structures from pre-colonial times.END
