European Union Ambassador to the Philippines, Luc Véron, and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson with the Maskara Theatre Ensemble on Saturday, August 20.*
The European Union Ambassador to the Philippines, Luc Véron, said on Saturday, August 20, that he is happy to see that the Teatro Europa theater festival has established itself as a dynamic platform for cultural exchange and collaboration with the Filipino youth.
“The youth are an important pillar of society, who make a global impact and will shape the future,” the ambassador said.
The ambassador was in Bacolod City to watch “Godo” performed by the Maskara Theatre Ensemble of the University of St. La Salle at the Gallaga Theater.
While in Negros he visited Negros heritage sites and tasted Negrense food, Véron said, adding that he is amazed with the rich culture of the province.
Teatro Europa was born in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
The two previous editions of Teatro Europa could only take place virtually.
“That is why this performance here at USLS, physically, is a milestone in itself. It means we are starting to get over the Covid pandemic, even if we still need to be vigilant,” he said.
He also said the 3rd edition of Teatro Europa has grown further to 18 universities, from originally seven in the first year of the theatre festival
“Through our partner institutions like St. La Salle University, and audiences all over the Philippines, we have reached in the past over 500,000 views, and I am confident that this year’s festival, in its hybrid form, will be even more successful,” the ambassador said.
“Theatre is a fundamental part of Europe’s culture and heritage. It is also an effective platform to express our identities as European and as Filipino”, he said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said “culture has a wider and more connective trait on human values. It is our exposure to the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation or people that gives us the ability to understand each other more, appreciate our commonality, and understand our differences”.
He thanked the ambassador not just for Saturday’s play at the USLS, but also for advancing the importance of arts and culture in economic development through the establishment of partnerships and networks.
Lacson cited possible collaborations on green issues such as solid waste management technologies, full circle recycling, climate change crisis mitigation, and the possibility of rhum importation.
May the visit of the ambassador “be the start of stronger diplomatic relations and a more fruitful cultural exchange between Negros Occidental, the Philippines, and the European Union”, Lacson said.*