04 July 2016 – In celebration of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, Ambassador Cecilia B. Rebong of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and other International Organizations, Ambassador Esteban B. Conejos, Jr. of the Philippine Mission to the World Trade Organization, and Mme. Celina Conejos, welcomed over 600 guests to the national day reception held on June 20 at the Theatre du Leman, Geneva.
Members of the diplomatic corps, UN officials, UN media, and Geneva city officials came to celebrate. Ambassador and Mrs. Joselito A. Jimeno of the Philippine Embassy in Berne were also in attendance, along with around 300 members of the Filipino community in Geneva and Vaud.
Following the brief reception, guests were invited to watch the special performance headlined by the Leyte Dance Theater (LDT), on the final leg of their five-city tour of Europe.
In her welcome address, Ambassador Rebong noted that the goal of the foreign services is to build bonds of friendship and understanding, and the LDT is an excellent vehicle for attaining that goal as they showcase the history, culture, and traditions of the Filipino people through dance and music.
Ambassador Conejos, who hails from Tacloban, Leyte, shared that the LDT not only share culture through dance, they also share a message of resilience. The LDT was one of the institutions that suffered tragic loss in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan. That the group was able to reorganize and now flourish is a testament to the resilient spirit of the people of Leyte and of the Filipino people as a whole. In a way, this tour across Europe was a way to give thanks to the communities that gave aid in the aftermath of the natural disaster, and paved the way for building back better.
The Philippine Mission’s own Ms. Michelle Eduarte also lent her vocal talent through song during the breaks between the LDT’s performances.
Majority of the 600 guests stayed to watch the full 90-minute performance, enthusiastically applauding every dance number. The crowd expressed their delight for the colorful costumes, artistry of the dancers, and the display of rich cultural influences that give Philippine folk dances a unique character.
LDT received a five minute standing ovation at the end from the audience.
The successful Philippine national day reception and performance of the LDT was a joint collaboration of the Cultural Diplomacy Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (DFA-OUIER), implemented in Geneva by team Philippines Geneva, led by the Philippine Mission to the UN, the Philippine Mission to the WTO, with the support of the representatives from the Departments of Labor and Employment, Trade and Investment and Agriculture. END
