An unusual diplomatic affair
Czech this out!
It was a diplomatic reception like no other. To celebrate its National Day, the Embassy of the Czech Republic, led by Ambassador Jana Sediva-Treybalova, turned the White Space events center in Makati into a rousing beer garden with live music, draft beer flowing from the taps and diplomats rolling up their sleeves in an evening of fun and camaraderie.
The model-slim envoy herself was wearing a Czech country dress hand-made by a friend of her mother.
The National Day of the Czech Republic is celebrated on Oct. 28, the day they commemorate the formation of Independent Czechoslovak State in 1918. But the Beer Night celebration was held on Nov. 16. (Czechoslovakia no longer exists since the two states peacefully separated in 1993 leading to the formation of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, Slovakia.)
“As some of you may be wondering why we celebrate the Czech Beer Night in the month of November, let me share to you another historical fact that makes November an important month in the history of the Czech Republic. Tomorrow, Nov. 17, the Czech Republic will commemorate the 30th year of the Velvet Revolution, a peaceful revolution led by students and various civil society organizations in 1989 that steered the eventual transformation of the totalitarian Czechoslovakia into a democratic state. It is not a secret that this is one of the things we share commonly with the Philippines when in 1986 you had a revolution of your own known as the EDSA People Power (revolution),” Ambassador Jana said as she welcomed guests.
And instead of a sleek car display on the lawn fronting White Space, there was a giant tractor welcoming guests who pulled up the driveway!
“Knowing that the Philippines has a vast agricultural sector, we hope that strengthened collaboration in this area will boost our country’s agricultural sectors. The Czech Republic is ready to offer technologies, and other equipment that could help increase efficiency in farming and fisheries. In fact, please have a look outside where we have in display a tractor from famous Zetor company, one of the top Czech companies that manufactures farming tractors and tractor equipment, that is already available in the Philippines,” the ambassador explained.
Ambassador Jana also pointed out: “People-to-people ties between the Czech Republic and the Philippines have a long history spanning from: Pablo Klein, a Czech Jesuit missionary who came to the country; Georg Joseph Kamel who wrote the first Philippine record of flora and fauna; the friendship of Czech Ferdinand Blumentritt and Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal and the brave Czech defenders of Bataan who fought alongside Filipino and American soldiers during the Second World War.”
“There is no doubt that the 46 years of our official diplomatic relations with the Philippines that commenced in 1973 are more vibrant than ever,” added the ambassador.
Ambassador Jana was posted in the Philippines less than a year ago and she told PeopleAsia magazine in an interview she loves the warm weather here, and the “warmer people.” A graduate of Political Science and Oriental Studies at the Charles University in Prague, Jana, who has been in the foreign service for 20 years now, speaks five languages.
And, according to her, aside from sharing the same democratic ideals as exhibited by the Velvet Revolution and the People Power Revolution, the Czechs and the Filipinos also have something in common: love for lechon and beer.
Now, I’ll drink to that and say, Na zdraví.
A Christmas tree & a giant lantern in one
The air was nippy and the atmosphere festive on the ridge as the giant Christmas tree on the lawn of the Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay City was lit up by SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. president Elizabeth Sy and Taal Vista Hotel general manager Richard Gamlin. The tree, comprised of lanterns made by artisans from Pampanga, glowed first in a kaleidoscope of colors, which were transformed into various hues of red, green and magenta. The tree is 20 feet tall and glowing with 1,326 bulbs.
The sparkling change of colors was accompanied by the Imusicapella Chamber Choir’s snappy rendition of National Artist Ryan Cayabyab’s Kumukutikutitap, a most succinct description of a Christmas tree you could almost see the tree itself just by listening to the song.
Kumukutikutitap, bumubusi-busilak
Ganyan ang indak ng mga bumbilya
Kikindat-kindat, kukurap-kurap
Pinaglalaruan ang inyong mga mata
But if you were looking at the tree as the choir sang Kumukutikutitap, your eyes would have been transfixed on the tree as your hips swayed along with the song.
Later Elizabeth Sy and GM Gamlin gave gifts to some children under the care of the Augustinian Sister Servants of Jesus and Mary, whose eyes lit up like the lanterns on the Christmas tree as they held their presents.
It was one of those nights when your heart was warm even when the air was cold and the night was windy. *
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