The aims of the event was to strengthen communal and cultural ties between inter generational members of the Filipino diaspora and community in Berlin. Throughout the event, community spirit was on full display with participants displaying a willingness and desire to engage in the day-long sports festival, Zumba sessions, as well as sharing recipes on a wide variety of home-cooked Filipino dishes, snacks, and desserts.

H.E. Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega also lauded the event organizers and the Embassy’s partners for the activities, led by Fr. Tranquilino de Ocampo, SVD, and the Pastoral Team of the Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, for establishing this initiative to bring the community and German neighbors together. In her welcome message, she expressed hope that the activity will help the participants become better individuals holistically, which would allow them to contribute in building a better community in Germany.

The highlight of the event was the high-intensity volleyball tournament with six competing teams, including one from the Philippine Embassy. Traditional Filipino street games like patintero, tumbang preso, and sipa, were also prepared by the Embassy, and were a hit among Filipino-German children who grew up in Germany, and even among the nostalgic adults who grew up playing the games.

The event was attended by 200 individuals, largely comprised of second and third generation Filipino-Germans as well as their German family members and friends, who participated in various interactive games and activities at the fun-filled event. Filipino nurses and the LGBTQ community were also represented, with the latter’s Hauptstars Team declared as the tournament’s champion.

The event is part of the Embassy’s month-long commemoration of Buwan ng Wika this August.

• - https://www.facebook.com/PHinGermany/?ref=br_rs
• - http://philippine-embassy.de/2019/08/06/filipino-community-enjoys-summer-weekend-at-palarong-pinoy-sa-berlin-2019/