The Philippines Pavilion ‘Bangkóta’ at the Expo 2020 Dubai has become a hallmark of the strong relations between the UAE and the Philippines that spans nearly five decades.
In an interview with Dubai TV, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, H.E. Hjayceelyn Quintana underscored that this is the biggest participation of the Philippines in an expo to date, which highlights the rich cultural background of Filipinos all over the world.
“The content of the pavilion reflects the special story of our country. We want visitors to understand our identity. Our biggest achievement is our people. We represent the 3rd largest nationality out of 200 living in the UAE, and it’s my honor to represent the Filipinos in UAE,” said Amb. Quintana in her interview at “Expo Morning Show”.
RELATED STORY: Philippines officially inaugurates Bangkóta Pavilion at grand opening of Expo 2020 Dubai
Amb. Quintana added that the ‘Bangkóta’ puts to life the creative expressions among thousands of talented Filipino artists and professionals who have worked together in an unprecedented collaboration to showcase the Filipino community’s caliber in a variety of art forms.
“This is what we want to showcase in Expo, that we are a community of compassionate and creative people. We have been highlighting this creativity in industries such as architecture, films, dance, and even the gaming industry and animation. Hopefully, we will be able to convey that to the world following the theme of the Expo,” said Amb. Quintana.
The Philippine Ambassador also elaborated on the architectural and conceptual features of the first self-built Philippine Pavilion in the history of Philippine participation in World Expos, spearheaded by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (PDTI), the Philippines government lead agency in organizing the pavilion.
“The architecture of the pavilion enables people to come and go easily, it’s like a plaza. The design philosophy is about “coral reef” or “Bangkóta” as a metaphor as we want to convey that we are connected to nature and to people,” said Quintana.
Under the banner of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” theme, Expo 2020 Dubai runs from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022, gathering more than 200 participants including 192 countries. Ticket prices to Expo 2020 start from AED 95.
The Bangkóta is the story of every Filipino. It brings together an ensemble of the finest Filipino artists and talents in a variety of artistic facets to mount an epic symphony of nature, art, architecture, and a story of the Filipinos’ 4,000-year journey of cultural sustainability. It is divided into several areas that each mark a different yet interconnected visual experience for the visitors.
Watch the interview here:
