The Philippine Embassy in Vienna joins parade commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations with Austria
The Philippine Embassy in Vienna, led by chargé d’affaires Deena Joy D. Amatong, recently joined the “Pamana II Festivals Parade” in Vienna. The parade, organized by the European Network of Filipino Diaspora Austria (ENFiD-Austria), was held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of relations between the Philippines and Austria. This was the second time a parade celebrating Filipino culture was held in Austria. The first parade took place in 2005.
The parade, which was held in the heart of Vienna’s Inner City on a busy Saturday morning, began at the world-famous Stephansplatz and ended at Sigmund Freud Park. People who were able to witness the parade, expressed their excitement, and others even enthusiastically joined the celebration.
Approximately 250 individuals, which includes 15 Filipino organizations, and different Austrian groups participated in the event and showcased cultural performances representing their respective regions such as T’boli Dance of South Cotabato, Sinulog Dance of Cebu, Kapa Malong Malong Dance of Mindanao, among others.
In her remarks during the program, Amatong highlighted the Filipino tradition of holding festivals to commemorate or celebrate different occasions.
The parade, which was held in the heart of Vienna’s Inner City, began at the world-famous Stephansplatz and ended at Sigmund Freud Park.
“The Philippines has a long-standing and much-loved tradition of having a ‘fiesta’ or festival. Every town or barrio, no matter how small, has one. There is always something to celebrate, whether a religious occasion, the annual harvest, or local beliefs… Through this Pamana II parade, we are sharing an important piece of home with Austria,” she said.
Amatong then called upon the Filipino community in Austria to further promote and cultivate Filipino culture and traditions. The program was capped with a “unity dance” to celebrate and further bolster relations between Filipinos and Austrians.
Established in 2017, ENFiD-Austria is an international organization that aims to connect and engage overseas Filipinos and provide them with an all-inclusive platform to become recognized and fully integrated in their host country.
(Vienna PE photos)