Brings European culture closer to every home in the Philippines
By Alithea de Jesus
Just like in the past years, the much awaited Viva Europa is set to showcase the exciting cacophony and tapestry of European culture and arts from April to June 2021.
Presented by the European Union, the Viva Europa 2021 which coincides in the cultural summer will provide a wonderful European online experience of the best of poetry, music and visual arts, dance, film, literature, science, cycling, and children’s arts and crafts.
European Union Ambassador His Excellency Luc Véron who graced the virtual launch said that the Viva Europa 2021 aims at highlighting the partnership, friendship and the shared cultural values between the EU and the Philippines and in the context of the bilateral Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. The cultural festival will also mark the Europe Day on 9 May.
In view of the ongoing pandemic, these cultural treats will be made available in the Facebook page of the EU Delegation to the Philippines: https://www.facebook.com/EUDelegationToThePhilippines/
Ambassador Véron who recently assigned to the Philippines expressed his excitement to experience Viva Europa celebration in the Philippines.
He also wished that in 2022, the Viva Europa celebration will not be held virtually as he is also looking forward to meeting the media.
Here is the full transcript of EU Ambassador Luc Veron’s speech during the Viva Europa Virtual Media Briefing:
I am very well pleased to meet you this morning for the first time on launch of the Viva Europa cultural programme.
It is this time of the year when we celebrate the founding of the European Union and, together with the EU Member States’ Embassies and the EU Cultural Institutes, to provide the best of the European cultural programme and to showcase our shared cultural values with the Filipinos.
“Viva Europa” started in 2010 to signify the founding of the EU and to highlight the importance of the Philippines as a cultural partner of the European Union.
We have used “Viva Europa” as Viva, comes from the Latin word vīvat, from vīvere, which means to live. Viva means “Mabuhay” while Europa symbolises the unique European cultural diversity.
Why are we focusing on culture?
Culture is a part and parcel of who we are and part of our foreign policy. It is not just our hearts but it represents the souls of humanity.
Cultural cooperation counters stereotypes and nurtures dialogue, open-mindedness, dignity and mutual respect. It is also a means to deliver important social and economic benefits both within and outside the EU.
In a country with such great talents for music, whether it be singing or dancing, or in other genres such as visual arts, literature, sculpture or theatre arts, cultural collaboration has become easier and as such strengthening people-to-people links tends to be fostered rapidly. Culture has now expanded to include a wide variety of activities, from inter-cultural dialogue, cultural heritage, creative industries to artisanship.Because of these variables, we have integrated our creative resources to present to all of you, our exciting Viva Europa events for the young and the young at heart. Our overarching theme this year is “Friendship/Partnership”.
For our Europe Day celebrations, we have adopted the tagline: “Sama-Sama Together” to convey the values of friendship, partnership that we have with the Philippines as well as the cooperation, solidarity and togetherness that we need to nurture especially in these trying times. Because of the ongoing pandemic, our itinerary of cultural programme has remained to be virtual for everyone’s health and safety.
I am pleased to announce that this year, we have a colourful variety of cultural events for Filipinos of all ages: from poetry, concert to a webinar on space science.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the need for all of us to come and work for a common good using our respective cultures and heritage. Culture, after all, provides all of us a platform for dialogue and closer engagements. It defines our identity and it makes us understand each other better. In other words, it is what binds all of us, it is what “sama-sama together” means.
Maraming salamat po.
Joint EU Activities
Children on Spotlight: Children will once again be in the spotlight of this year’s cultural programme for children and their families. On 16 May at 10 a.m., through the “Lakbayin Natin ang EU” (Journey to the EU) festival, the EU Delegation together with the Embassies of Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy through the Philippine-Italian Association, Austria and Poland have prepared the best of European stories and tales, games, languages, film, music, arts and crafts for Filipino children. The art of creating friendship bracelets in line with the theme “Friendship and Partnership” will be taught to kids during the festival.
Bersong Euro-Pinoy: The passion, the romance and fire of European and Filipino poetry continue during this Viva Europa cultural summer. This year’s recital will have the participation of Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Austria and Poland.
Carl Norac is Belgium’s fourth National Poet and a prize-winning poet and author of many widely acclaimed and best-selling children’s books. His work has been translated into 47 languages. His bilingual children’s book “My Daddy is a Giant” appeared in Tagalog-English in 2005. In 2009, Norac received the Grand Prix de la Société des Gens De Lettres. He will recite his original works: “Pour Marcel Moreau” – For Marcel Moreau, his friend who is a Belgian writer too and who has unfortunately recently passed away and “Pour Mustafa, pour Mustafa Kör” (For Mustafa, for Mustafa Kör), a poem dedicated to Mustafa Kör who will in fact succeed him in January 2022 as a National Poet.
Famous poet and director of Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, Mr Luis Garcia Montero, will recite his original work for Bersong Euro-Pinoy.
For the first time, German artist/actress Luisa Katharina Davids will recite the German translation of Mi Ultimo Adios“ as 2021 is the year when the German Embassy also unveils José Rizal’s former furniture from Heidelberg, Germany, and an official marker with the German translation of “Mi Ultimo Adios“ at the Museo ni José Rizal in Intramuros. (Please see more information about the artist www.luisakatharinadavids.de(link is external))
This year, La Punta della Lingua poetry festival from Italy will once again join the Bersong Euro-Pinoy poetry recital. Poems to be rendered adhere to the theme of “Friendship/Partnership”. Bersong Euro-Pinoy will be held on 21 and 28 May at 6pm.
Highlights:
- Filipino poets from the Department of Literature, De La Salle University will read their original works in Filipino, Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, and Waray. The poets and their works are: Mesándel Virtusio Arguelles “Kasama”(“Comrade”); John Iremil Teodoro, “Sa Hardin sang Ginuo: Isa Ka Pangamuyo sa Tiempo sang Pandemya” (“In the Garden of the Lord: A Prayer During the Time of the Pandemic”); Carmie Ortego “Paglakát mo nag-lipstick ako hin pula” (When you left I put on red lipstick); and Genevieve L. Asenjo “Sa Gihapon, Palangga, ang Uran” (“Always, Beloved, the Rain”).
- Filipino poets from Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Mindanao will read their pieces also in the mother tongue: M.J. Cagumbay Tumamac, poet in Hiligaynon, Southern Mindanao, Awardee of Makata ng Taon 2019, and Sigrid Gayangos, poet in Chabacano, Zamboanga City/Dumaguete City, Awardee of Palanca Award 2018.
- Dora Šedivá, daughter of Ambassador Jana Šedivá (Czech Embassy) is back with her friend, Marika Štěpková, daughter of Deputy Ambassador Jana Peterková, (Czech Embassy) will read Fortune (Štěstí) by Adolf Heyduk both in Czech and in English.
- “Det er Liv et Reise” or “To Travel is to Live” by Hans Christian Andersen will be read by Danish Ambassador Grette Sillasen.
- Famous poem “Amis, Un Dernier Mot” by Victor Hugo will be read by a representative from the Embassy of France.
- “Rima LII”, a sonnet on friendship by Dante Alighieri, will be read by Alessandro Milani, General Manager of the Philippine-Italian Association.
- “Love” by Erich Fried to be read by Gerald Poellabauer and Crystal Eunice Dela Cruz of the Embassy of Austria.
- “Labirynt” or “Labyrinth” by Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wisława Szymborska will be rendered by Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Poland Jaroslaw Roman Szczepankiewicz.
Euro-Pinoy Concert: Beat the summer heat andjoin us on 4 June at 6pm!
Spectacular performances await Filipinos this year as the EU readies a performance with a blast from Embassies of the Czech Republic, Germany Spain, France, Italy, Austria and Poland.
- A highly acclaimed contemporary dance titled “GUIDE” will be performed by Věra Ondrašíková and Co. from the Czech Republic. The performance was selected for Aerowaves Twenty 17, presented at Spring Forward Festival in Aarhus, One Dance Week festival in Plovdiv, SIDance Festival in Soul, V4 Dance Festival in New York and New Orleans, Israel Festival in Jerusalem, Birmingham International Dance Festival, UNIDRAM Festival in Potsdam, Open the doors festival in Katowice, Demoludy in Olsztyn, Tanec Praha in Prague and Light Night Leeds. (Please see trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG8ihIatJRw(link is external))
- German visual artist Lisa Kossen will bring to life a musical number through her visual art. Be ready for a surprise fun night as she instantly interprets music via her powerful brush strokes.
Get ready for:
- Jazz artist Eric Soulard from France
- Violinist Tullio Vidmar from Italy
- “Trio Artio” from Austria
- Jazz artist Artur Dutkiewicz from Poland
In the spirit of friendship, collaborative performances will be held by some Euro-Pinoy artists with local talents.
Musica FEUropa Choral Festival: If you area fan of choral music or if you were once a member of your school choir, you will surely enjoy Musica FEUropa. The traditional choral festival of the EU Delegation to the Philippines and Far Eastern University will be held in the afternoons of all Saturdays of May 2021 from 8:00 to 9:30pm. Watch the choirs perform famous music from folk to classical from both the EU and the Philippines during the month long choral concerts.
EU Whiz Competition: Give your best shout out and cheers to your alma mater as students colleges and universities across the Philippines gear up for the much-anticipated “EU Whiz: Filipino Youth of the FEUture”, an inter-collegiate competition spearheaded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines and is endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education. Hurry up as applications are being received until 1 May 2021.
Mechanics are available at: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/philippines or https://www.euwhizfyf2021.engage.eu/(link is external)
Since 2006, the EU Whiz has been a fun and exciting way for Filipino students to showcase their knowledge and understanding of the EU and EU-Philippine relations. Apart from the quiz, the EU Whiz: Filipino Youth of the FEUture has been expanded to include two more events—the “My Space, My Rights” video competition, and the “Green ECO I See” digital art competition. This year also marks the first time that all events will be held online as a result of the pandemic. The EU Whiz thanks the Embassy of Czech Republic for its support.
“Beyond the Stars, Reach out to the Skies” Webinar on Copernicus and Galileo: This webinar will be held on 25 June 2021 from 3pm to 5pm. This event features Copernicus and Galileo space programmes and how these technologies are used during the pandemic and in disaster preparedness. It is in conjunction with the launch of the EU-Philippines Copernicus Cooperation National Programme. Space scientists from the European Commission and Hungary will join a roster of local speakers and participants from the Philippines.
EU Film Festival and EuroPelikula: Films are always an important signature component of the Viva Europa festival and this year is no different as carefully-selected films will be accessible from 5 May to 5 June.
Films include the following:
- ACASA MY HOME by Radu Ciorniciuc (2020)
Romania, Finland, Germany
- AURORA by Miia Tervo (2019)
Finland
- FIRE WILL COME (O QUE ARDE) by Oliver Laxe (2019)
Spain, France, Luxembourg
- HER JOB (I DOULIA TIS) by Nikos Labôt (2018)
Greece, France, Serbia
- OUR STRUGGLES (NOS BATAILLES) by Guillaume Senez (2018)
Belgium, France
- PERFUMES (LES PARFUMS) by Gregory Magne (2019)
France
- THE AUDITION (DAS VORSPIEL) by Ina Weisse (2019)
Germany, France
Webinars on Bicycle Tourism, Road Safety/Etiquette, Bike-Friendliness and People-Centred Architecture. On 21 May at 9:30 a.m., the Danish Embassy and Intramuros Administration will present these free webinars.
21 May@ 3 to 4:30pm: The Royal Netherlands Embassy and Makati Business Club will conduct a webinar on “Starter Sessions: Your Guide To Be A Bike Friendly Business” with Mr. Chris Bruntlett, Marketing & Communications Manager of the Dutch Cycling Embassy as a speaker. This webinar aims to help Philippine businesses learn from Dutch best practices on biking, so that they may localize it to the Philippine context. Topics include the business benefits of biking, examples of bike-friendly services and facilities provided by businesses in the Netherlands and tips, advice, and best practices.
Dante in the Philippines: Teaching and Translating Dante Today, a free webinar from the Philippine-Italian Association on 7 May at 2pm. The 700th death anniversary of Dante Alighieri offers the opportunity to talk about the relevance of Dante Alighieri’s major work, the Divine Comedy, to contemporary Filipinos and investigate two important aspects of cultural transmission: teaching and translating. Professor Paul Dumol (University of Asia and Pacific) and Professors Michael Coroza and Jonathan Chua (Ateneo de Manila University) are resource persons.
Viva Europa 2021 is the outcome of a fruitful cooperation between the EU Delegation to the Philippines, the Embassies of Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy through the Philippine-Italian Association, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Dela Salle University and Far Eastern University.