Filipino Culture Is Making Its Wave In Germany
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Indeed, Filipino culture is making its wave around the world — and it has reached Germany!
Germans and expats can now formally study the Filipino language, including its culture as it is currently being offered this term at Humboldt University in Berlin, one of the country’s prestigious educational institutions.
Taking pride in our language
University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Filipino language instructor Antonio Galang Jr. is currently teaching the said course. “Some are very much interested and religiously attend the classes,” he said.
Despite being offered just few weeks ago, he remains optimistic to take our pride among Germans and residents living there. The professor also believes that Filipino will soon become a priority course to students taking elective language courses such as Mandarin and Japanese.
“Filipino course is just for extra credit and still not considered a full language course this term. However, this will change as the Filipino language is going to be offered as a full language program this coming Summer Semester,” he explained.
Filipino culture is making its wave in Germany
Meanwhile, our rich culture was also discussed by Deputy Speaker and Antique Congresswoman Loren Legarda through her lecture at Ruhr University in Bochum, also in Germany. She discussed how the weaving tradition in the Philippines remains an everlasting tradition of Filipinos, as well as the process of bringing piña-seda to life.
She also shared the importance of traditional textiles in clothing and design as the ties that bind a culture. “The establishment and flourishing of a Philippine Studies Program in Humboldt and in Ruhr University is just the start of a stronger partnership with Germany,” Legarda said.
Apart from that, the Hibla Travelling Exhibition that showcases the our piña-seda weaving tradition will be held in Berlin in early 2020. Thankfully, our weaving tradition is currently gaining interest among many fashion educators and students in Berlin – a good way to start advancing the promotion of our culture!
Moreover, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega is already implementing programs that would strengthen the promotion of our culture in Germany. One of that is to assist the university in sustaining the public’s interest in studying Filipino cultures.
Antique Congresswomen and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda discussed some of the Filipino cultures at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany with their faculty members | Photo appeared as Featured Image from Senator Legarda