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H.E. Ambassador Junever M. Mahilum-West, together with the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, Mr. Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Dr. Eric Zerrudo, National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) Director-General and UNESCO National Commissioner Mr. Jeremy Barns, Hon. Jose Enrique Miraflores, Governor of Aklan, Hon. Victor J. Yu, Governor of Zamboanga del Sur, Hon. Juris Sucro, Mayor of Kalibo and the UNESCO National Commission Secretary-General Dr. Ivan Anthony S. Henares inaugurated the exhibit entitled "AKLAN PIÑA Handloom Weaving and the Schools of Living Traditions of the Philippines" at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 14 October 2024.

Ambassador Mahilum-West, in her remarks, underscored the deep cultural roots of the piña weaving tradition and the Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs), both intrinsic to the fabric of Philippine identity. "These traditions, passed down through generations, reflect our indigenous heritage and the resilience of our communities. This exhibit is our way of sharing these rich practices with the world, offering a glimpse into how we preserve and celebrate our intangible cultural heritage."  

12 October 2024.The Philippine Embassy in France, in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, conducted a lecture and demonstration on the Aklan Piña Handloom Weaving & Schools of Living Traditions (SLT) on 11 October 2024 at the Embassy’s conference room. The lecture, attended by Embassy personnel, students, and cultural advocates, is in line with the Philippines’ celebration of the Indigenous Peoples’ Month this October. 

NCCA’s team of cultural experts led by Ms. Renee Talavera (center left) with H.E. Junever Mahilum-West (center), Embassy team and the Filipino community participants.

The learning engagement is a corollary activity to the UNESCO exhibit on 14-18 October 2024 that will celebrate the inscription in December 2023 of Aklan’s piña handloom weaving on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as well as the recognition of the Philippines’ SLTs in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices in December 2021. Established in 1995, SLTs are community-managed centers headed by cultural masters and specialists who teach knowledge and skills on indigenous art, craft and tradition to the youth. The conduct of teaching in SLTs is often non-formal, oral and with practical demonstrations to preserve living traditions of the indigenous peoples. 

H.E. Junever Mahilum-West welcomed guests and participants to the lecture and demonstration. 

NCCA’s Program Management Division Chief and Institutional Programs and Projects Section Head Ms. Renee Talavera led the delegation of cultural masters composed of local weaving experts and indigenous community leaders. Among them are Ms. Raquel Eliserio, cultural master and weaver of the Akeanon-Ati Malindog SLT, Ms. Ursulita Marte dela Cruz, weaver & resource person of the Municipal Government of Kalibo, Mr. Gauden Sireg, a Subanen cultural master, and Ms. Renefe Tremedal, SLT National Coordinator. 

Cultural master Gauden Sireg teaches participants about Subanen indigenous dances as part of SLT demo. 

The lecture included a display of piña fibers, woven products, indigenous clothing and cultural items from the SLT communities. Participants were also able to learn the Subanen dances from the cultural master himself. 

NCCA’s Program Management Division Chief Ms. Renee Talavera discussed SLT’s mandate to preserve living traditions of the indigenous peoples.

H.E. Junever M. Mahilum-West, Philippine Ambassador to France, expressed her appreciation to NCCA for the opportunity to showcase Philippine indigenous culture in Paris through a hands-on learning format. The Ambassador added that “culture cannot be confined to the four walls of museums; it must be lived, experienced, and shared to truly thrive across generations.”

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15 October 2024 - H.E. Ambassador Junever M. Mahilum-West, in her address at the plenary meeting of the 220th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board, highlighted the Philippines’ strong support for the adoption of The Pact for the Future (Pact). She emphasized that this significant milestone strengthens multilateralism and global governance, reflecting a shared commitment to a sustainable and inclusive future.

In line with UNESCO’s mandate, Ambassador Mahilum-West underscored the Pact’s recognition of culture as a crucial driver of sustainable development, its commitment to safeguarding human rights in the digital era, and its call for accessible, high-quality education for all.

She also shared several Philippine initiatives that align with UNESCO’s core areas of competence, including the country's upcoming hosting of the International Marine Science Conference and the 3rd UN Ocean Decade Regional Conference in 2027, the operationalization of the Board of the Fund Responding to Loss and Damage at COP28, the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, and the recent enactment of the Cultural Mapping Law, which acknowledges culture as a global public good.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in her response to country statements, expressed anticipation of working closely with the Philippines, particularly on climate change—identified as the most pressing threat to the conservation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. She commended the Philippines for its leadership in addressing this global challenge.

The 220th Session of the Executive Board will continue until 23 October 2024, with members set to discuss a wide range of topics, including the 2026-2029 budget, human resources strategy, the review of recommendations on education and science, and the procedure for electing the next Director-General, among others.

 

7 October 2024. The Philippine Embassy in France collaborated with Ms. Nina Daza-Puyat, children’s book author and former editor-in-chief of Appetite Magazine, for a reading of her work Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai on 4 October 2024. Attending children and adults both enjoyed the audio-visual spectacle accompanying the usual storytime. 

Philippine Embassy officials led by H.E. Junever Mahilum-West with Ms. Nina Daza-Puyat and participants. 

Ms. Nina Daza-Puyat, daughter of culinary icon Nora Daza, opened her lecture with a brief introduction of her childhood memories in Paris and her family’s ties with the city’s gastronomic culture. Her mother opened in 1972 Aux Iles Philippines, the first Filipino restaurant in Paris, and it became known for its Filipino popular dishes and desserts including sans rival, ube and leche flan. 

Parents and children enjoyed the audio-visual storytime of Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai.

Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai is a fictional folktale which tells the story of how the popular dish came into being. It explores how two opposing families were united by an unexpected tragedy. It demonstrates important values such as charity, respect for the elderly, and bayanihan which are innate in Filipino culture. It also teaches kids the value of food by stirring their curiosity and giving them a deeper appreciation of the cooking process and the preparation of the ingredients.

Kids engaged in an interactive exercise after the story where they experienced balancing the bilao with vegetables on their heads, as practiced in the Philippines.

Paris-based children’s literature advocate Margaret Gerner also read a story for the kids. An interactive session followed where they shared learnings and asked questions about the story. To wrap up the event, the classic lumpiang shanghai was served among the refreshments.

Following the event, guests browse Filipino children’s books and partake the celebrated lumpiang shanghai.

During the food month celebration, the Embassy launched a directory of Filipino restaurants in Paris to promote Philippine cuisine in the gastronomic capital of the world. Visit the food site here: 
https://sites.google.com/dfa.gov.ph/filipino-food-in-france/home

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