Press Release No. EBB-20-2020
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN JEDDAH MAKES HISTORY, HOSTS ASIAN FOOD FESTIVAL AND ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2020
Jeddah, 03 March 2020 – The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah (PCG Jeddah) made history on 2 March when it successfully hosted the Asian Food Festival 2020 and the screening of the critically-acclaimed Peque Gallaga film “Sonata”, in line with the Asian Film Festival 2020.
Consul General Edgar Badajos (center), Coordinator of the Asian Consuls General Club (ACGC), with Consuls General
and representatives of (from left to right) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Pakistan, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, and India
at the Asian Food and Asian Film Festival 2020 held at the Jeddah PCG grounds on March 2.
The twin activities were filled with revelry as nine (9) consulates in Jeddah featured their national cuisines and culinary traditions at the Asian Food Festival, an activity of the Asian Consuls General Club (ACGC) that was revived during the Coordinatorship of Jeddah PCG of the Club for 2019 and 2020. The program also included nostalgic OPM performances from Jeddah PCG Minstrels, the Consulate’s chorale group, novelty Philippine dance medley from Filipino students of the Durat Al Sharq International School, and a kulintang musical exhibition by Maranao-based Nunungan International Organization.
Nunungan International Organization performing a Kulintang musical exhibition
Filipino students of the Durat Al Sharq International School entertain the audience with a novelty Filipino dance number
Consul General Edgar B. Badajos in his remarks said that the Asian Food and Film Festival aim to promote greater awareness and understanding of the members’ respective cultures among the Saudi community and other foreign audiences. “The activities are a way to invite our friends from the Saudi community and other countries to take a glimpse of the unique facets of Asian culture through the medium of film and our native cuisines,” Consul General Badajos said.
Consul General Edgar Badajos (leftmost) and the Consuls General of the Asian Consuls General
Club (ACGC) in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Asian Food Festival 2020
Consul General Badajos thanked all the thirteen member countries of the ACGC for their untiring support and cooperation during the Consulate’s Coordinatorship of the Club. “Tonight’s film and food festivals are the result of months of planning by ACGC members. As Coordinator of the ACGC for 2019 until the first quarter of 2020, the Philippine Consulate wishes to thank all the other ACGC Consulates for the cooperation and untiring support you have given to make our activities happen. Being Coordinator of the ACGC is not a walk in the park as our activities need careful planning plus the constant call for regular meetings just to make sure all the plans are in order and all our activities will be implemented smoothly and seamlessly,” he added.
Philippine booth at the Asian Food Festival 2020
Pakistan booth of the Asian Food Festival 2020
After the food festival, Jeddah PCG screened a Filipino film entitled “Sonata”, starring Cherie Gil, and directed by Peque Gallaga, with the permission of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). The film is about a retired opera diva whose loss of voice causes her hopelessness and despair until meeting a young boy who will make her see things differently altogether.
The ACGC is a grouping of 13 Asian Consulates General in Jeddah, including, the Philppines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, China, Japan, South Korea, Indian, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. ---END---
