DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
                   P R E S S  R E L E A S E

                                             2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                               Tel. No. 834-4000
 
SFA-AGR-002-08                                                                                                                                                 

CAIRO PE COMMEMORATES RIZAL DAY AT EL SAWY CULTUREWHEEL

03 January 2008 - The Philippine Embassy in Cairo commemorated the 111th death anniversary of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal on 29 December 2007, with a short program and film showing at the El Sawy Culturewheel in Zamalek, Cairo.

 

Members of the diplomatic corps, including the Ambassador of Myanmar Soe Myint, and the Deputy Chiefs of Mission of Myanmar and Sudan, Filipino community members, media and the Egyptian public, attended the event.

 

In the remarks of Philippine Ambassador to Egypt Petronila P. Garcia, she spoke about the little-known historical link between Jose Rizal and Egypt, narrating his passing through the Suez Canal, his brief visit to Port Said in June 1882, and his mention of Egypt in his reflections on travel.  Ambassador Garcia also remarked that Rizal’s greatest legacy to Filipinos was that he instilled in them a nationalistic fervor that enabled them to fight for the country’s freedom.

 

“We recognize the vital influence that Rizal has on all Filipinos.  In his short lifetime spanning only 35 years, he has done far more for the country than other men have been able to do in their entire lives,” the Ambassador said.  “His greatest legacy perhaps, is that he awakened a nationalistic fervor in our forefathers that has emboldened them to fight for the country’s freedom.  Dr. Rizal sowed the seeds of nationalism in Filipinos, thus enabling the Philippines to break free from Spanish colonial rule.”

 

Mr. Abdullah Mustapha, embassy interpreter and translator, read the Arabic translation of Rizal’s last masterpiece, “Mi Ultimo Adios” or “Wadaa-ii al akhiir.”  English and Arabic copies of the poem were distributed to the audience.

 

After the short program, the audience was treated to a screening of Marilou Diaz Abaya’s award winning biopic, “Jose Rizal”, starring Cesar Montano.

 

The film screening also serves as the formal closing of the successful “A festival of Award-Winning Filipino Films” which was held during the whole month of December in coordination with the El Sawy Culturewheel.  The mini-film festival saw the earlier screening of other quality Filipino films such as “Magnifico”, “Milan”, and “Dekada 70.” END

 

   

/wingret
 

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