ASEAN CENTRE FOR BIODIVERSITY (ACB) PAYS COURTESY CALL ON PH AMBASSADOR TANG IN NAIROBI

Nairobi, 24 June 2022 – A delegation from the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) headed by Ms. Clarissa Arida, Director, Programme and Development Implementation (third from right) paid a courtesy call on PH Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UNEP Marie Charlotte G. Tang (third from left) during which the ACB briefed the Ambassador on its work and recent projects and activities. Ambassador Tang said that the Embassy looks forward to collaboration between the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi and the ACB. The ACB delegation is in Nairobi to participate in the Fourth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

ACB is the only ASEAN Centre of Excellence based in the Philippines. It was established in 2005 to assist the ASEAN Member States in protecting and conserving its valuable and unique biodiversity resources. END

 AMB. TANG PRESENTS CREDENTIALS AS PH NON-RESIDENT AMBASSADOR TO COMOROS
Ambassador Tang arrives at the State House for her presentation of credentials (Photo by Beit-Salam, Office of the President of Comoros).  

MORONI, 24 June 2022 - Philippine Non-resident Ambassador to the Union of the Comoros Marie Charlotte G. Tang presented her credentials to H.E. President Azali Assoumani on 21 June 2022 at the Beit-Salam (Office of the President) in Moroni, the capital.

Ambassador Tang conveyed the warm wishes of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to the government and the people of Comoros. 

She emphasized that as archipelagic states, the Philippines and Comoros face similar challenges but also have several opportunities for cooperation. She also expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the Philippines and Comoros in the multilateral fora.

President Assoumani described the Philippines and Comoros as being “united by the sea” and added that the two countries should invigorate their relations. 

Ambassador Tang also met with Foreign Minister Dhoihir Dhoulkamal and other key officials of the Comorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Diaspora.  In these meetings, both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral engagements.

Ambassador Tang also donated books on the Philippines to the National Centre of 

Documentation and Scientific Research, which houses Comoros' National Museum, Library, and Archives. 

Comoros, a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean between the coast of Mozambique and the island of Madagascar, is known for its pristine beaches and diverse marine life. Comoros is called the “Perfume Isles” as it is the world’s leading producer of ylang-ylang oil which is used by major international perfume and cosmetic companies. It is said that in the 19^th century, the French brought the ylang-ylang, which is native to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, to East Africa and cultivated large plantations, including in Comoros.

Comoros is among the 12 African countries under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. END

Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang (left) conveys to President Azali Assoumani (right) the desire of the Philippines to strengthen cooperation with Comoros in areas of mutual interest (Photo by Beit-Salam, Office of the President of Comoros).

Ambassador Tang (fourth from left), President Assoumani (fifth from left), and Nairobi PE Third Secretary and Vice Consul Louie Dane Merced (first from left) with key officials of the Comorian government. (Photo by Beit-Salam, Office of the President of Comoros).

Ambassador Tang meets with H.E. Dhoihir Dhoulkamal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Diaspora of Comoros.

Ambassador Tang meets with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Diaspora of Comoros.

Ambassador Tang visits the Comoros National Museum which will soon be reopened to the public after an extensive renovation. The Museum showcases the natural, geological, and anthropological heritage of Comoros. 

Ambassador Tang (third from left) and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Merced (first from left) with the officials of the National Centre of Documentation and Scientific Research led by Director-General Toiwilou Mze Hamadi, PhD (fourth from left). 

PHILIPPINES OPENS ITS FIRST-EVER EXHIBITION AT NAIROBI NATIONAL MUSEUM

(PH Ambassador Tang (center) led the ribbon-cutting to officially open the PH exhibition “Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves.” She was joined by (from left) Mr. Calistus Musiomi from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, H.E. Thai Ambassador Sasirit Tangulrat, Ms. Mwanaima Salim, Principal Curator from the Nairobi National Museum, and Ms. Halima Shariff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Nairobi, 17 June 2022 – The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, led by Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang, opened on 17 June 2022 the first-ever Philippine exhibition at the Nairobi National Museum titled “Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves.” 

Over 50 guests from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, National Museums of Kenya (NMK), ASEAN Nairobi Committee, and faculty and students of the Department of Fashion Design and Marketing and the Department of Fine Arts and Design of Kenyatta University attended the Opening Ceremony and enjoyed the showcase of Philippine woven textile traditions. 

Nairobi National Museum, the premier museum in Kenya, attracts thousands of students and tourists, both local and foreign, each year. 

In her remarks, Ambassador Tang noted that as Kenya is also known for its very rich and colorful textile traditions, the Philippine exhibit provides a good opportunity for Kenyans to discover their similarities with Filipinos despite the significant geographic distance between their respective countries.

“Philippine weaves are a tapestry of different colors, textures and materials. Every detail of a traditional textile is a product of craftsmanship and has a story to tell. The exhibit provides its visitors a glimpse into the lives, social structures, beliefs, and values of the Filipino people,” said Ambassador Tang.

In his message read by Nairobi National Museum Principal Curator Mwanaima Salim, NMK Acting Director-General Stanvas Onga’llo said that the NMK is honored to host the Philippine exhibition that celebrates humanity through both history and art, and that he hopes that this would be the beginning of more partnerships between Kenya and the Philippines.

The guests, particularly students of fashion design, expressed how engaging and informative the exhibit was, and proposed a possible collaborative project in which they would create their own designs using various Philippine fabrics. 

“Perfected by Tradition: Philippine Weaves” was organized in close collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the NMK to mark the Philippine National Heritage Month and the 124th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day. It will run from 17 June to 17 July 2022. END

(Guests take their time to enjoy the exhibit and ask questions from Nairobi PE personnel to learn more about the textiles)

(Ambassador Tang as she delivers her remarks before the invited guests)

(Prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests were served with Pinoy snacks prepared by Mr. Elmer Pautanez, a Filipino chef based in Nairobi)

(Nairobi PE personnel donning their different Philippine textile attires)