FFCI TURNS OVER DONATION FOR PROJECT “OPEN DOORS” 

16 November 2007—Charge d’ Affaires a.i. Gilberto Asuque (center) receives the deposit slip of the donation of the Federation of the Filipino Communities in Israel (FFCI) for the project “Open Doors” (inset) during a simple ceremony at the Embassy.  The officers and members of the FFCI led by Mr. Alan Ustaris (shaking hands with CDA Asuque) formally turned over the donation to the Organizing Committee for the Celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the Republic of the Philippines and the State of Israel, which is chaired by CDA Asuque.  FFCI held a Raffle Draw on 17 October 2007 to raise funds for the benefit of the project “Open Doors”.  “Open Doors” is the first Philippine monument to be installed at the Holocaust Memorial Park in Rishon LeZion  to memorialize the humanitarian deeds of the Filipinos when they welcomed the migration to the Philippines in 1939 of thousands of European Jews escaping the Holocaust.   “Open Doors” is a testament to the open door policy of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon when he authorized in 1939 the issuance of thousands of visas to Jews escaping the Holocaust.  (Embassy photo)

/Gary