PHILIPPINE EMBASSY, DOHA PARTICIPATES IN 1^ST ASEAN BAZAAR IN QATAR

29 November 2006 — The 1^st ASEAN Bazaar in Qatar, co-sponsored by the five ASEAN Embassies in Qatar, namely Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand, was held at the Philippine International School Qatar (PISQ) on 17 November 2006.

The bazaar was conceptualized as a fund-raising drive by the five ASEAN Embassies to generate funds for its yearly activities and programs, as well as to promote ASEAN solidarity and strengthen relations between ASEAN communities and the people in Qatar.

The bazaar showcased a wide array of ASEAN member countries' products from authentic food items, handicrafts, and handmade fabrics to spectacular cultural performances depicting ASEAN's rich heritage and way of life.

Members of the diplomatic corps, media, academe, and volunteers from the 15^th Asian Games, including officers and businessmen from the public and private sectors, attended the event.

At 3:00 p.m., a gong was struck by the five ASEAN Ambassadors, signaling the start of the program.

The ASEAN theme song was then sung by the Filipino choir group, the Lord's Choir, followed by a tour by the Ambassadors and guests of the various participating booths. A series of cultural songs and dances from all the ASEAN member countries were shown during the whole evening, which lasted until 9:00 pm. The event ended with a raffle draw, with prices that included roundtrip tickets to Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta, Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuala Lumpur, among others.

With the huge success of the 1^st ASEAN bazaar, the ASEAN Ambassadors in Doha unanimously agreed that the ASEAN Bazaar should become an annual activity by the group. Next year, it will be the Philippine Embassy's turn to take the chair.  The challenge for the Philippine Embassy in Qatar is how to improve on the success of the just concluded ASEAN Bazaar, which was chaired by Malaysia.  END

/epa

(Home)