The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the Philippines collaborated with the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in hosting a choral festival to mark the 60 years of bilateral relations between EU-PH.
The event will take place on April 26 at the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes OP Building (BGPOP), UST, featuring exceptional choral groups from all over the Philippines in a showcase of talent, musical diversity, and cultural exchange.
The event’s theme, “Sounds of Celebration: Sixty Years of EU-PH Relations,” is a recognition of how music can transcend borders and go beyond the barrier of language. Music, as a worldwide language, will be utilized to celebrate the 60 years of friendship and cooperation.
The choral festival will also feature special recognitions: (1) “The EU-PH Cultural Award” will be presented to honor a choir’s outstanding performance, which highlights the diverse cultures of the European Union and the Philippines, fostering unity and cooperation in the realm of arts; (2) “The Ambassador’s Choice Award” will be presented to the choir whose performance best embodies cultural diplomacy.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the upcoming choral festival with the University of Santo Tomas, our partner since 2017,” EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron said. “As we honor the 60 years of diplomatic relations, we hope this festival will create lasting memories and an avenue for people to experience the EU-PH unity in diversity.”
The choral festival is one of many partnership projects between the Delegation of the EU to the Philippines and the UST. In 2017 and 2019, the Delegation of the EU to the Philippines hosted a series of cultural activities on campus titled “Hemispheres: A European Cultural Symposium,” showcasing the art, literature, and music of the EU in a series of talks, performances, and exhibitions. This served as an outlet for cultural exchange in which Thomasians, and the wider public, experienced and learned about the diverse art traditions of the EU.
The UST also hosted “EU Whiz,” an inter-collegiate competition between local universities to test students’ knowledge about the EU and bilateral EU-PH relations. Once again, the EU Whiz will be organized by the second half of this year, this time to commemorate the 60 years of diplomatic relations.
The Delegation of the EU to the Philippines also hosted with the UST an online poetry festival titled “Bersong EuroPinoy” in 2022, featuring poetry readings on topics such as worldwide unity, sustainability, and diversity.
