25 August 2005 – Ambassador Victoria S. Bataclan of the Philippine Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Second Nordic-Baltic Regional Conference of Filipino organizations will take place in Oslo, Norway, from 16 – 18 September 2005, bringing together leaders of Filipino organizations in the region and individuals with a common desire to work for national development in the Philippines through the pursuit of national peace and unity.

Known as the 2005 Pulong ng Bayan, the meeting is jointly organized by the Filipino organizations in Oslo and the Philippine Embassy in Stockholm, which also has concurrent jurisdiction over Oslo.  The meeting will have the theme “Peace and Development for Philippine Progress.”

Ambassador Bataclan said that she will deliver the keynote address, giving a comprehensive report on the activities undertaken by the Embassy in 2004 and the forthcoming projects that will need the support and cooperation of the Filipino community.

She added that resource speakers from government offices, non-government organizations, academicians and experts have been invited to present their views and knowledge on issues of current interest to the Philippines and to the Filipino community in the region in general.

Ambassador Bataclan explained that within the three-pillar framework of development diplomacy, the selected topics include the peace talks between the Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front and the role of Norway as facilitator of the said talks; the issue of integration of migrants in Finland; prospects of entrepreneurship in the region; development projects in Mindanao; tourism and culture promotion; and prospects of the nursing profession in the region.  END