MAY is not only the month wherein it is customary to celebrate Flores de Mayo. It is also a month when the European Union (EU) celebrates two significant days: the founding of the Council of Europe on May 1949 and, particularly, the Shuman Declaration of May 1950, the latter being the EU Flag Day, as well.
There are usually many activities that pepper the fifth month of the year, internationally and in the Philippines, showcasing the diversity of the EU member-states emphasized through cultural and culinary events after its formal kickoff during the official celebration of Europe Day.
There is one activity, now on its eight year, that stands out being an outreach program, organized in cooperation with Museo Pambata. It is a fun activity where children from underprivileged communities and non-governmental organization (NGOs) learn about the collective European culture, about differences and similarities with their own.
First, being assigned to a specific country to join an activity that could vary from storytelling, games, songs and arts sessions, followed after lunch by a virtual trip with their “passports” to other countries, receiving a “visa” stamp to show that they journeyed through other EU member-states indeed.
This particular event was proposed for inclusion in the Viva Europa celebration by Monika Kazdova, then Consul at the Czech Embassy, eight years ago with the idea to give an opportunity to experience the EU diversity to children who, otherwise, would not have to chance to visit Europe.
This year’s theme was friendship, as the EU delegation celebrated its 25th anniversary in the Philippines. The EU delegation, led by First Secretary Jerome Riviere, worked with representatives from the embassies of Austria and the Czech Republic, the Goethe Institut and the Philippine Italian Association.
Volunteers from University of the Philippine-Euro-Filipino Understanding and Relations Organization and Lyceum of the Philippines University Project for Asian and International Relations lent their time to help out with the children. The young participants were from different communities and NGOs, such as the San Pablo Apostol Parish in Tondo in the care of the Canossian fathers and the Education Under the Bridge foundation, brainchild of Teacher Fe Matullano-Lustañas, who went beyond her public-school teacher mandate to actively teach out-of-school children and their families in La Huerta, Parañaque City.
The virtual trip ended with a performance by Bayanihan dancers, who explained traditional Filipino instruments, as well as the regional dances they showcased to the young audience who, together with the EU representatives, enjoyed it immensely.