GOVPH

24 October 2024.The Philippine Embassy in France and Permanent Mission to UNESCO proudly presented the performance of De La Salle University (DLSU) Chorale during the last day of the Executive Board session at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 21 October 2024. The said performance brought Philippine folk music  to the global stage as the country marks National Indigenous Peoples’ Month this October with the theme “Mga Katutubo at Katutubong Dunong: Pahalagahan, Pangalagaan, at Parangalan” (Valuing, Nurturing, and Honoring Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge).
 

DLSU Chorale performs at UNESCO foyer under Picasso’s The Fall of Icarus, 1958.  

The repertoire included Vochong, a traditional warm welcome melody from the Kalinga in Northern Luzon, Ummah Sallih, a traditional Molbog song with Islamic origins performed by an ethnic group residing in Palawan, Ili-ili, a popular lullaby sung in Hiligaynon originating from Panay Island, and Iddem-Dem Mallida, an Itneg melody and victory chant from the province of Abra and Ilocos Norte, among others. In some of these songs, the group featured traditional Filipino instruments such as bungkaka, tongatong, gangsa, kubing, dabakan drums, and a rainmaker.

  Ambassador Junever Mahilum-West (right) congratulates chorale conductor Mr. Jose Aquino (left) for the stirring performance. 

Mr. Jose Emmanuel Aquino, DLSU Chorale conductor, led the group. He is an alumnus of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, the Ateneo Chamber Singers and the San Miguel Master Chorale.
 H.E. Junever Mahilum-West (center), Philippine Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, meets the entire DLSU Chorale. 

As the UNESCO Executive Board Session ended, delegates from various member states were greeted by DSLU Chorale’s performance in the foyer. The enchanting renditions were met with applause and admiration from the audience.  END

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XKG4kAC_b7oEZGhYRcPIDdwQfUwdtLoB/view?usp=sharing

24 October 2024.To mark Museums & Galleries Month this October, the Philippine Embassy partnered with KUNST Gallery (Kapatiran at Ugnayan ng Natatanging Sining at Talentong Pilipino) artists for a painting workshop held at the Embassy on 21 October 2024. The group features talented Filipino visual artists Ian Maigan, Windsor Magnaye, Nino Cris Odosis, and Joseph Albao, who are touring Europe for their exhibition titled Viaje 4 - Filipinism: What Makes Art Filipino.

Workshop participants proudly displayed their work following the guidance of Viaje 4 artists. 

 After the success of their traveling exhibition in Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium, they concluded their journey in Paris with the Business Art Fair and the workshop at the Philippine Embassy. This initiative is aimed to foster arts appreciation among participants while promoting Filipino creative identity during the Museums and Galleries Month
 

Attendees, led by H.E. Junever Mahilum-West, gained practical insights and renewed inspiration in pursuing visual arts.  

KUNST Gallery is a respected art institution recognized by the National Commission for Culture & the Arts and has played a vital role in advancing Filipino art both domestically and internationally. Its Director and Founder, Virgilio Cuizon, received the Presidential Banaag Award in 2022 for his unwavering dedication to preserving Filipino culture and art. Additionally, the gallery has a solid history of curating outstanding exhibitions that highlight the diversity and talent of Filipino artists.
 

Collaborating artists donated to the Embassy their demo paintings, which incorporate Filipino and Parisian narratives.  

This year's Museums & Galleries Month theme, “Honoring Traditions, Fostering Innovation,” reflects a harmonious blend of preserving heritage while embracing the future. The visiting artists embody this celebration, inviting the public to engage with how traditional knowledge, practices, and values are expressed through their art. By weaving the Filipino narrative and identity into their contemporary pieces, they reinforce the ongoing significance and vibrancy of local Philippine traditions on the global stage.

END.