2011 Metrobank
Art and Design Excellence (MADE)
MESSAGE OF MR. ANICETO M. SOBREPEÑA
DIPLOMART: CULTURAL DIPLOMACY THROUGH PHILIPPINE VISUAL ARTS
CARLOS ROMULO LIBRARY
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
OCTOBER 25, 2011
FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECRETARY ALBERT DEL ROSARIO, GROUP CHAIRMAN DR. GEORGE S.K. TY, MY DEAR FRIENDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ART ENTHUSIASTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, A PLEASANT EVENING TO ALL OF YOU!
WHEN THE METROBANK FOUNDATION WAS FIRST APPROACHED BY THE OFFICE OF THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF THE DFA, WE ENTHUSIASTICALLY OPENED OUR DOORS FOR THIS IMPORTANT UNDERTAKING. THE METROBANK FOUNDATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS THAT WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH FOR THE PAST YEARS AND THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE INITIATED WITH THEM. METROBANK HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AS EVIDENCED BY OUR STRONG ARTS AND DESIGN PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1984.
IN THIS REGARD, RESPONDING TO THE INVITATION OF DFA TO JOIN IN ITS EFFORTS TO FURTHER STRENGHTEN CULTURAL DIPLOMACY CAME EASY TO US. THE RESULT OF THIS CONVERGENCE OF ADVOCACY IS THE PROJECT WE ARE LAUNCHING THIS AFTERNOON CALLED DIPLOMART: CULTURAL DIPLOMACY THROUGH PHILIPPINE VISUAL ARTS, THIS ART EXPLORATION LECTURE SERIES AND EXHIBIT CATERS TO FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS WHO WILL BE DEPLOYED IN DIFFERENT CONSULAR OFFICES ABROAD, DEEPENING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION ABOUT PHILIPPINE ARTS AND CULTURE.
ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY NARRATE THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR ARTS PROGRAM – THE METROBANK ART AND DESIGN EXCELLENCE OR MADE AND HOW WE SOLIDIFIED OUR SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS. IT WAS IN THE 80’S WHEN OUR VISIONARY GROUP CHAIRMAN DR. GEORGE S.K. TY THOUGHT OF LAUNCHING AN ANNUAL ART COMPETITION KNOWN AS THE YOUNG PAINTERS ANNUAL. ITS PURPOSE IS TO SERVE AS AN EXPRESSION OF THE YOUNG FILIPINOS TO VOICE OUT THEIR OPINIONS ON THE ISSUES OF THE COUNTRY. AT THE SAME TIME, IT ALSO SERVES AS A VENUE TO DISCOVER YOUNG ARTISTS, TO HONE THEIR SKILLS AND TO HARNESS THEIR POTENTIAL.
OVER THE YEARS, THE PROGRAM HAS EVOLVED INTO FOUR COMPETITIONS: PAINTING, SCULPTURE, ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN. THIS YEAR, IN LINE WITH OUR CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO INTRODUCE INNOVATION IN OUR PROGRAMS, WE PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS (NCAA) AND PARTICIPATED IN THE PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL OR PIAF. IN SUPPORT TO THIS NATIONWIDE CELEBRATION, WE STRATEGICALLY HELD INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS AND ART LECTURE SERIES IN THE DIFFERENT PROVINCES AND SCHOOLS GEARED NOT JUST TO PROMOTE THE COMPETITION AND DISCOVER NEW ARTISTS BUT ALSO TO ENCOURAGE ART APPRECIATION AMONG THE YOUTH.
EVERY YEAR AS WE AWARD EXEMPLARY ARTISTS, INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS IN LE PAVILLON, WE CONDUCT A TWO-DAY EXHIBIT FEATURING THE WINNING WORKS OF THAT YEAR’S BATCH OF MADE WINNERS.
INDEED, AFTER TWENTY SEVEN YEARS, WE CAN PROUDLY SAY THAT MADE BECAME ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER ART AND DESIGN COMPETITIONS IN THE COUNTRY PRODUCING SOME OF THE BIG NAMES IN THE PHILIPPINE ART AND DESIGN, BECOMING ONE OF OUR AVENUES TO PROMOTE OUR ADVOCACY IN BROADENING OUR INFLUENCE IN BRINGING ARTS AND CULTURE TO A WIDER AUDIENCE.
IN CLOSING, IN BEHALF OF THE METROBANK FOUNDATION, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP. THROUGH DIPLOMART, WE HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE IN STRENGTHENING THE CULTURAL DIPLOMACY THRUST OF OUR COUNTRY. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ENJOY THE NIGHT AS WE ALL EXPLORE THE WORLD OF VISUAL ARTS AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR NATION’S PLACE IN THE DIPLOMATIC ARENA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD EVENING.
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