Yesterday, I attended “Rising Together”, the official launch of the commemorative book on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Italy. The book comprehensively details the extensive and significant partnership of the two nations in several valuable fields such as history, culture, art, the sciences, politics, and economy.
I have always believed in the importance of Philippine and Italian cooperation considering our two countries’ several mutual areas of concern, and I am honored to have been conferred with the Cavaliere dell Ordine al Merito Della Repubblica Italiana (Knight in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic) on July 13, 2017, and recently, the title of “Commendatore” to the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. As a staunch advocate of culture, I also initiated the 2015 return of the Philippines to the prestigious Venice Biennale after the Philippines’ 51-year hiatus from the international art exhibition.
After marking 76 years of fruitful diplomatic relations this year, I anticipate stronger and deeper ties between the Philippines and Italy.
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Dinaluhan ko kahapon ang “Rising Together”, ang opisyal na paglulunsad ng librong gumugunita sa ika-75 anibersaryo ng relasyong diplomatiko ng Pilipinas at Italya. Ang libro ay komprehensibong tumatalakay sa malawak at makabuluhang pakikipag-ugnayan ng dalawang bansa sa larangan ng kasaysayan, kultura, sining, agham, politika, at ekonomiya.
Ako ay naniniwala sa kahalagahan ng kooperasyon sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng Italya, at ikinagagalak ko na ako ay nagawaran ng parangal na Cavaliere dell Ordine al Merito Della Repubblica Italiana (Knight in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic) noong July 13, 2017, at kamakailan lang, ang titulong “Commendatore” to the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. Bilang tagapagtaguyod ng kultura, isinulong ko ang pagbabalik ng Pilipinas noong 2015 sa prestihiyosong Venice Biennale pagkatapos ng 51 taong pagkawala ng partisipasyon ng Pilipinas sa ekshibisyong ito.
Sa ika-76 na taon ng masaganang relasyong diplomatiko ngayong taon, inaasahan ko ang mas malakas at mas malalim na pagkakaibigan ng Pilipinas at Italya.
