Celebrating Italy’s rich culture

Italians are known for their zest for life, seen in their love for celebrations — be it a grand party or a just a family get-together. It is this passion for life that makes Italians truly remarkable as a people.

This was evident in the recent celebration of Italian National Day or the Festa della Repubblica held at The Alley at Karrivin in Makati City, hosted by Italian Ambassador Giorgio Guglielmino. The 72nd celebration of Festa della Repubblica focused on the contemporary aspects of the European nation.

(Left) Paul Raison with Libet and Luis Virata Jr. (Right) Alex Sembrano and Italian Embassy Attaché Ricardo Dell’Aquila.

While many restaurants in the Philippines offer Italian cuisine, not many Filipinos are familiar with the delights of Italian street food. When it comes to art, the names that immediately come to mind are Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Boticelli. However, there are a lot of contemporary Italian artists whose works are getting international renown, among them Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi and Mino Argento.

In August, the Ateneo Art Awards will feature an additional prize called the “Embassy of Italy Award” to be given to a young Filipino artist who shows great potential in the arts. According to the Ambassador, the goal of the Italian Embassy is to build a small but significant collection of Filipino art to be displayed in Italian ambassador’s residence and in the Italian Embassy chancery. 

(Left) Antonio Gallo, Rowena Tubu and Sergio Michelotti. (Right) Astrud Schuck and Miss Earth Philippines 2018 Silvia Celeste Cortesi.

Ambassador Guglielmino noted the deep connection between Italians and Filipinos, who both place a high value on friendship and prefer face-to-face interactions despite the ubiquity of texting, e-mail and social media. The Philippines and Italy established formal bilateral relations in July 1947, and it comes as no surprise that relations between these two countries have gone well over the decades. In January last year, both countries inked a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism aimed at strengthening the partnership between the Philippines and Italy.

Initiatives to renew a partnership with Philippine Airlines for direct flights from Manila to Rome is certainly welcome news, as this would benefit the estimated 200,000 Filipinos working and living in Italy. Every year, about 30,000 Filipinos also apply for a visa to the European nation.

(Left) Ailene Co, Ambassador Guglielmino and Monaco Consul General Fortune Ledesma. (Right) Sergio Alias and Pietro Paolo Polverini.