MANILA: The European Union (EU) and the Philippines commenced a year-long celebration to mark their 60 years of diplomatic relations.
The EU Delegation in Manila said the iconic globe at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City will be illuminated with the logo of the 60th year of the diplomatic ties between the EU and the Philippines on Jan. 12 to 19.
During the lighting ceremony on Friday, EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron said 2024 serves as a ‘celebration of the values that the EU and the Philippines share — democracy, human rights, equality, the rule of law, and support for multilateralism and international law.’
Throughout the year, the EU Delegation in Manila will host special events such as multimedia exhibition, inter-collegiate quiz (EU Whiz) and a choral competition.
‘Besides highlighting the many milestones and achievements of EU-Philippines cooperation over the past six decades, the celebration is also a testament to the enduring friendship and ever-stronger ties between the European Union and
the Philippines,’ the EU Delegation in Manila said.
The Philippines established de facto relations with 15 of the early EU members in 1948 and established formal ties with the European Community (formerly European Union) on May 12, 1964.
Ambassador Vicente Singian presented his letters of credence to the European Commission as the first head of the Philippine Mission to the EU in 1964.
The EU Delegation to the Philippines was officially opened on May 15, 1991.
Over the years, the delegation said political and diplomatic relations between the two have transitioned from being primarily focused on developmental goals to adopting a more collaborative and mutually beneficial approach.
In 2018, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, a significant component of the EU-Philippines Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation, was enacted.
The EU Delegation in Manila said this deal signaled the initiation of collaboration across various areas of mutual interest, including politics, society, economics, c
ounterterrorism, transnational crime prevention, human rights, justice, peace efforts, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, trade, migration, maritime labor, employment, disaster risk management, and health.
Source: Philippines News Agency