The European Union in the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas hosted yesterday a choral festival apropos of the 60 years of bilateral relations between the European Union and the Philippines.

The festival took place at UST’s Buenaventura Garcia Paredes OP Building, featuring exceptional choral groups from all over the Philippines in a showcase of talent, musical diversity and cultural exchange.

The festival also coincided with the University of Santo Tomas’ 413th founding anniversary.

“Sounds of Celebration” is a recognition of how music can transcend borders and go beyond the barrier of language.

This choral festival is one of many partnership projects between the EU delegation to the Philippines and UST.

In 2017 and 2019, the EU delegation hosted a series of cultural activities on campus called “Hemispheres: A European Cultural Symposium”, showcasing the art, literature and music of the EU in a series of talks, performances and exhibitions.

This served as an outlet for cultural exchange in which Thomasians, and the wider public, experienced and learnt about the diverse art traditions of the EU.

The University of Santo Tomas also hosted “EU Whiz,” an inter-collegiate competition between local universities to test students’ knowledge about the EU and bilateral EU-Philippines relations.

The EU Whiz will be organized again in commemoration of the 60 years of EU-Philippines diplomatic relations, during the second half of this year.

The delegation also hosted with the University of Santo Tomas an online poetry festival entitled “Bersong EuroPinoy” in 2022, featuring poetry readings on topics, such as worldwide unity, sustainability and diversity.