By admin 
Rabat – The Philippines and Morocco marked 50 years of diplomatic ties this week with a celebration that went past protocol.
This morning, the Embassy of the Philippines in Rabat invited Moroccans to witness a efficiency that embodied each of custom and connection.
Kontra-GaPi, an ensemble from the College of the Philippines, stood on the middle of the gathering. For the primary time in its historical past, the group traveled to Africa, not solely as vacationers, however as cultural ambassadors.
Their devices, some carved from bamboo, others stretched with pores and skin, supplied rhythms formed by centuries. The dances they introduced mirrored the lives of communities who’ve held onto their methods by means of waves of colonization, warfare, and migration.
Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja opened the occasion with calm conviction. “We hope by means of the performances of Kontra-GaPi, we will create a cultural bridge between our two nations,” he advised Morocco World Information (MWN) on the sidelines of the occasion.
“And naturally, create larger consciousness and understanding between the peoples of the Philippines and Morocco.”
“This can be a particular second for us,” the group’s founder and inventive director, Pedro Abraham Jr advised MWN . “We’re right here not simply to carry out, however to share one thing historic and alive from our nation.”
Abraham defined that the ensemble drew on traditions from almost 100 ethno-linguistic teams within the Philippines. “Many of those communities had been barely touched by colonization. Their music holds reminiscence, and we feature it with care,” he mentioned.
For Abraham, the efficiency in Morocco felt private. “We don’t typically get to face in locations so removed from dwelling and be obtained with this a lot kindness,” he mentioned.
“And but right here we’re, in North Africa, sharing one thing that started hundreds of years in the past within the Austronesian world. For a number of moments, our histories sit aspect by aspect.”
The efficiency introduced heat, silence between notes, and the sluggish recognition that individuals throughout continents typically carry related longings, for dignity, continuity, and friendship.
The go to additionally marked the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence. However, the evening didn’t revolve round dates or official speeches. It belonged to the musicians, the dancers, and the company who leaned in to pay attention.
The Embassy’s option to carry Kontra-GaPi to Morocco served as greater than symbolic outreach. It stood as an invite, to look past geography, and to search out familiarity in distinction.