BOYSIE VILLAVICENCIO

May is National Heritage Month. It is also the European Union month and the theme of the European Union month in May is Heritage Conservation.

To this end, the European Commission, the Embassy of the Czech Republic (its ambassador is the current president of the European Union), and the president’s committee on culture at Far Eastern University (headed by young and brilliant Martin Lopez) held a series of events and activities in the FEU campus.

These activities included a campus tour (there are so many areas within the FEU campus that one will appreciate – including two murals by Manansala inside the FEU chapel); a talk by Architect Augusto "Toti" Villalon on "Everyday Filipino Heritage"; and an exhibit opening of UNESCO sites in the Czech Republic, with the ceremonial ribbon cut by FEU president Dr. Lydia B. Echauz and Jaroslav Ludva, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Philippines.

There were so many things to see, hear, and learn and every information shared with the guests that afternoon was not only truly educational.

A reception prepared by Cora Garcia (she has been with the university for 40 years) followed. This included Czech beer, the national drink of the Czech Republic and all the goodies and specialties from different cooks and suppliers of food stuff. Ummmmmmm! B-U-R-P ! I feel bad for Martin Lopez because he was so busy that day, he did not even get a bite of anything.

The festivities continued with the 1st European Union Choral Competition in the historic FEU auditorium.

The choral competition was open to all university choirs, whose members are bona fide and currently enrolled students. Each choir sang one song composed by a Filipino and another composed by a national of any of the 27 European Union countries.

The competitors were UST’s Coro Tomasino, fourth Place; Coro San Benildo of the College of Saint Benilde, third Place; UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble, second place; and the grand prize winner, the Bagong Himig Serenata of PUP.

Judges were: Agripino "Nonoy" Diestro, resident conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra; Dr. Macario Ofilada, author, music critic, choral and conductor; Lester Delgado, composer, music arranger and choral conductor; Anamaria Vlad from the Romanian Embassy; and Emilie Flambeaux from the Embassy of France. While the judges tabulated their scores, the FEU Dance Company performed "Go the Distance" as the FEU Chorale sang in the background.

Cash prizes and trophies were given to the all choirs. Another trophy was presented to the best director (also from PUP) that afternoon. In addition, the Embassy of the Czech Republic presented the winners with books about the Czech Republic.

With wholesome and educational activities like this, we can really appreciate the world we live in. The songs, the sights, and the information we gathered that day indeed, made us power packed and ready to contribute our own to our service for the rest of our humankind.