50 years of ASEAN
Manama : The Philippine Embassy in Manama hosted the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the Gulf Hotel Convention Center, Manama on 14 November 2017 at 7:00 pm.
After the playing of the national anthem of the host country and the ASEAN Hymn, Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Manama, Bahrain, Alfonso A. Ver, opened the celebration to welcome the guests and to highlight the achievements of the Philippine Chairmanship of the 50th Anniversary of the ASEAN, including the signing of the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. Ambassador Ver also emphasised the gains that ASEAN as an organisation has achieved during the past five decades, expressing the hope that more successes will be accomplished in the next fifty years for the benefit of all ASEAN peoples.
Around 400 guests composed of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Bahrain government offices, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, and members of ASEAN communities attended the event. The chief guests during the event were the grandsons of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, namely, H.E. Shaikh Khalifa bin Rashid Al Khalifa and H.E. Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa. H.E. Shaikh Daij bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the ASEAN-Bahrain Business Council also gave his message on the occasion, highlighting the achievements of the Council. The guests were treated to a mini fashion show featuring the national dresses of each of the five ASEAN countries represented in Bahrain.
A 2-minute video clip promoting tourism in ASEAN was also played during the programme to encourage guests to visit the ASEAN region. The ASEAN Embassies also put up their respective booths at the venue to promote tourism as well as their native products. The PHL booth featured brochures and banners on tourism, Philippine textiles including malongs and a Filipiniana dress, as well as handicrafts such as bontal bags, sungka, kalesa, small wooden Ifugao houses and wooden displays. Samples of Philippine export products such as bananas and dried mangoes were also displayed at the booth.
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