ANGARA LEADS DIA DEL GALLEON PRESS LAUNCH

Senator Edgardo J. Angara yesterday spoke at the press conference for the upcoming Dia del Galeon Festival, held at the Marble Hall of the National Museum.

"It is my hope that through this festival, Filipinos will be able to connect with, and join the international pool of artists, educators, cultural workers and leaders to for an exchange of ideas on governance, heritage and history," said Angara, who also heads the Senate Committee on Education, Culture and the Arts.

Also present during the press conference were Ms. Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, Director General of the festival, National Museum Director Jeremy Barns, as well as representatives from the Spanish embassy and the Fundacion Nao Victoria.

Angara, as a board member for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Chair of the Dia del Galeon Steering Committee brought together representatives from over 32 nations to organize the commemoration of the Galleon Trade. The highlight of the festival is the arrival of the majestic Galeon Andalucia, a replica of the famous ships from the 15th century.

Workshops, performances, intercultural dialogues and academic conferences throughout the country would be held to revisit the era of the Manila-Acapulco trade route.

"It is important for us to look back at this pivotal era in our country's history, when the Philippines was introduced to globalization through the Galleon Trade. This time marked the beginning of the development of our cultural diversity," explained Angara