FILIPINO TALENT AND FOOD SHOWCASED AT 9^TH NAIROBI INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Ms. Stefanie Quintin serenades the guests at the opening ceremony of the 9^th NICF.

NAIROBI, 13 June 2024 – As part of its celebration of the National Heritage Month in May and the 126^th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi participated in the 9^th Nairobi International Cultural Festival (NICF) on 08 June 2024 at the Nairobi National Museum.

With the theme “The World at a Glance,” the 9^th NICF featured cultural performances, booth exhibitions, and hands-on demonstrations of traditional crafts and arts from all over the world.

In her brief remarks at the opening ceremony, Philippine Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang underscored the importance of cultural diplomacy in building connections and fostering goodwill among nations, highlighting it as a key pillar of the Philippines' foreign policy.

Ms. Stefanie Quintin, a soprano who visited Nairobi with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), showcased Filipino musical talent through her beautiful rendition of a Filipino folk song, Pobreng Alindahaw, at the opening ceremony.

Meanwhile, visitors to the Philippine booth enjoyed an assortment of Filipino cuisine, including the classic adobo, bistek tagalog, puto, kutsinta, pancit bihon, lumpia, as well as fish and squid balls, popular street food in the Philippines.

For over a decade, the NICF has provided a platform for the Kenyan public and the international community to immerse themselves in the rich and diverse cultures of different countries, enhancing cross-cultural understanding and nurturing connections among people.

Aside from the Philippine Embassy, other participating diplomatic missions and institutions in the 9^th NICF included those from Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Iran, Ethiopia, Morocco, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Somalia. END

Ambassador Tang delivers a brief message at the opening ceremony of the 9^th NICF.

FilCom-Kenya members, Ms. Marilou Moses and her family, welcome booth visitors with a variety of delicious Filipino food.

PHILIPPINES’ MORION MASK SHOWCASED AT MASKS OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT IN KENYA

PH Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang (wearing a light blue blazer) presents the Morion head mask to the guests and briefly informs them of its origin.

 NAIROBI, 22 May 2024 – On the occasion of the Philippine National Heritage Month and the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May), the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi participated in the "Masks of the World" exhibition at the Nairobi National Museum, organized by the Embassy of Romania in Nairobi and the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM).

Officials from the Kenyan Parliament, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, National Museums of Kenya, and KNATCOM, as well as members of the diplomatic corps and students joined the opening ceremony on 21 May 2024.

The Philippine Embassy showcased a Morion head mask crafted by Mr. Gilbert Monsanto, a local artist from Mogpog town in Marinduque.

The Morion mask is an important piece of Philippine cultural heritage that is worn during the Moriones Festival, which takes place annually in Marinduque during Holy Week. Participants in the festival wear these masks and reenact the story of Saint Longinus, a Roman centurion who purportedly pierced Jesus Christ's side during the crucifixion and converted to Christianity after being cured of blindness by Christ's blood, symbolizing both penance and celebration.

In Mogpog, a Morion mask is traditionally worn with a bulaklakan turban. It is named after the flowers made from various colors of Japanese paper and attached to the headgear. The number of flowers on the turban indicates how many years a person will participate in the Moriones. Each year, they remove a flower from their turban after completing the ritual. Removing the last flower signifies the fulfillment of their vow.

Other masks featured at the exhibition include those from Romania, Thailand, Mexico, and Costa Rica. The exhibition will run from 21 to 26 May 2024. END

A Morion mask is typically made from the wood of dapdap, dita, or santol trees, which are abundant in Marinduque. The mask painting and drying process takes about two weeks.

PH AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES CULTURAL COOPERATION PLANS WITH KENYA

Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang (left) and Principal Secretary Ummi Mohammed Bashir of the Kenyan Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage (right) exchange ideas on implementing the MOU on cultural cooperation between the Philippines and Kenya.

NAIROBI, 07 May 2024 – Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Principal Secretary (PS) on Culture, the Arts and Heritage Ummi Mohammed Bashir of the Kenyan Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage on 07 May 2024 to exchange views on cultural cooperation.

The two officials discussed possible activities that can be implemented under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippines and Kenya in the Field of Arts and Culture, signed on 22 February 2023.

Under the MOU, the Philippines and Kenya will collaborate in the preservation of cultural heritage; undertake joint programs between their respective cultural and educational institutions; and promote exchanges in the fields of arts, film, museum, linguistics, and records and archives management.

The two officials agreed to work closely on these areas, with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as the lead implementing agency for the Philippines. END

 Ambassador Tang (left) presents PS Bashir (right) with a Yakan cloth table runner and a book titled, Flowers of the Philippines, published by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).