Australia Day 2016: Marking the #First70Years of friendship and cooperation with the Philippines
19 January 2016
The commemoration of 70 years of the Philippines-Australia bilateral relationship will be the feature of Australia Day celebrations on 26 January 2016. Formal relations between the two countries were established when Australia opened a Consulate General in Manila on 22 May 1946.
“The Philippines and Australia enjoy a deep and wide-ranging relationship which is based on shared values and common interests,” said Ambassador Amanda Gorely, who arrived in Manila this month in time for Australia Day celebrations.
“This is not a relationship that has been built overnight, but rather one that has evolved, over the decades, to fit the changing needs and circumstances of both countries.”
“Australia Day is not just a celebration; it is also a time of reflection on where we have come from as a nation. It is only appropriate at this time that we also reflect upon the journey that the Philippines and Australia have shared over the past 70 years” she said.
As part of the 70th anniversary commemoration the Australian Embassy will be working with local partners to highlight the rich and varied history of the bilateral relationship.
During 2016 the #First70Years photographic exhibition, which was launched by Australia’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr Andrew Robb, and Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis in November 2015, will tour parts of the Philippines, including Cebu and Davao.
The exhibition features significant moments in the shared history between the two countries: from the involvement of over 4,000 Australian service personnel who fought beside Filipino and allied forces in World War II, to Australian medical mission teams working alongside other Filipino and international humanitarian communities in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda.
The exhibition will be held at SM Aura Premier, Taguig; SM City Cebu; SM City Davao; and SM North EDSA.
The exhibition is presented in partnership with SM Supermalls and a number of corporate sponsors: ANZ, Aurecon, Austal, Australian International School, Cardno, Crone Architects, Greenstone Resources Corp., IDP, Macquarie, Meat & Livestock Australia, OceanaGold, Qantas, QBE, SMEC and Telstra.
For updates on the activities, schedules, and further announcements, please visit www.philippines.embassy.gov.au and www.facebook.com/AustralianEmbassyManila.