CELEBRATE WHAT’S GREAT: PHILIPPINES – AUSTRALIA FRIENDSHIP DAY
The Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni in the Philippines will mark the first official Philippines – Australia Friendship Day with an outdoor festival on Saturday, 20 May at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater.
“This is a celebration of the longstanding and close friendship between our two countries,” said Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely, “We have strong people-to-people links nurtured through educational and cultural exchanges. So I am very pleased that Australia Global Alumni are leading the celebration of the first Philippines-Australia Friendship Day.”
Inspired by Australia’s lively outdoor lifestyle, the festival will feature a free film screening and concert, a food and fashion fair, kid’s games and a traditional Aussie sausage sizzle hosted by alumni and volunteers.
The award-winning Australian family film Paper Planes will screen in the afternoon, followed by a fun paper plane making competition. To cap off the festival, Australian sax duo Half Sound with Erick Calilan and Tusa Montes, Indie Alternative band Oh! Flamingo and Filipino rock icons Razorback will perform.
Festivalgoers will also enjoy a free shuttle service around Bonifacio High Street on Star 8 solar jeepneys. These green public utility vehicles feature innovative Australian technology that modernises the classic Filipino jeep.
“I thank our Filipino friends and my fellow Australians for their warm support of last year’s celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relations,” Ambassador Gorely said.
“One of the outcomes of that was a Presidential Proclamation declaring 22 May of each year as Philippines–Australia Friendship Day so we can celebrate what’s great between our two countries,” she added.
The Philippines is one of Australia’s longest-standing bilateral relationships. While formal relations commenced with the opening of Australia’s first Consulate-General in Manila on 22 May 1946, links between the two countries date back to the 1800s, driven by trade and migration.
Lasting ties were forged in the heat of battle when 4,000 Australian service personnel fought alongside Filipino and allied forces for the liberation of the Philippines in WWII.
Today, Australia and the Philippines cooperate closely across a range of areas, including defence, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, education and development.Australia is the second largest source of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippines, with AUD 83 million (PhP 2.8 million) in 2016-17 strategically deployed to support the Philippine roadmap for sustainable growth.
“I invite everyone to join us in celebrating this inaugural friendship day,” said Ambassador Gorely.
The Ambassador launched an online campaign to inspire people across the Philippines to join the celebration by sharing their stories of friendship using the official hashtag #AUPhWeAreMates and #FilAussieDay.
For more information about the first Philippines–Australia Friendship Day celebration, visit www.philippines.embassy.gov.au, like Australia in the Philippines on Facebook and follow @AusAmbPH on Twitter.
###
The Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni thank Qantas and the Bonifacio High Street for making the first Philippines-Australia Friendship Day celebration possible.
Special thanks to our media partners: ANC, CNN Philippines, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, WhenInManila.com, Tiger 22 Corporation, Magic 89.9, Wave 89.1, 99.5 Play FM and Jam 88.3.