University of Applied Arts Vienna and Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines sign donation agreement for art projects

“This initiative not only enhances European understanding on the arts and culture of the Philippines, but also kindles genuine interest in its diverse heritage and history, particularly on our strong creative arts tradition. I am optimistic that this program will foster cross-cultural appreciation and meaningful exchange.”, declares Ambassador Evangelina Lourdes A. Bernas. Angewandte-Rector Gerald Bast adds and explains the background of this new cooperation: "International relations are indispensable elements of living universities. Cross-national interaction enriches the thinking of the people involved from different realities of life and promotes the complexity of the content of artistic and scientific work."

The donation agreement was made possible by a program initiated by Philippine Senator Loren B. Legarda, who is a strong advocate and supporter of academic programs and projects in universities all over the world that promote Philippine culture and heritage. The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines is donating the equivalent of almost Euro 50,000 (Philippine Pesos PHP three million) to the University of Applied Arts Vienna for artistic projects at the university. This includes programmes, projects and activities related to Philippine art, culture, history and society on the one hand, and partnerships and collaborations with persons or organisations presenting Philippine art, culture, history and society in Austria on the other hand, and furthermore activities and projects dedicated to these stated objectives.

At the Angewandte, the department Artistic Strategies under the lead of Univ.Prof. Bouchra Khalili will be primarily concerned with the tasks associated with this donation. The Department is already heavily involved and engaged in initiating the first projects. Other departments of the Angewandte will be invited to participate and help shape individual projects.

With this donation, the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines would like to explicitly promote the ambitions of the University of Applied Arts Vienna and thus encourage and support personal contacts and artistic exchange in relation to the art, culture, history and society of the Philippines.

“I am honored to be part of the project that celebrates and explores Philippine arts and culture, and I would also like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to Angewandte for making this initiative a possibility in Vienna. I look forward to potentially working on similar projects in the future, and wish Angewandte continued success.” concludes Kristine Camille Cruz, Cultural Officer and Attaché of the Embassy.