Philippine lanterns illuminate Vienna Advent Festival

VIENNA - The official lighting of lanterns from Pampanga province in the Philippines took place on November 19, 2007 in front of Vienna's City Hall.

The San Fernando City government, through the initiative of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, donated 60 San Fernando lanterns to the Philippine Embassy in Vienna.

The lanterns decorate one of 11 trees in the Rathausplatz in the Christkindlmarkt grounds, one of the biggest and most popular Christmas markets in Europe.

Hundreds of stalls on the vicinity of the city hall were being installed. The stalls offer European and exotic foods, drinks and a lot of Christmas souvenirs.

Indeed, it was a "tiangge"-like atmosphere.

The Vienna Christkindlmarkt runs for six weeks from the third weekend of November to Christmas Day. It attracts an estimated three million tourists from Austria and neighboring countries.

The simultaneous lighting of the Philippine lanterns was officiated by Ambassador Linglingay Lacanlale and Dr. Elisabeth Vitouch from the Vienna city government. It drew admiration and applause from the audience, composed of diplomats from different Association of Southeast

Asian Nations member countries, the Philippine Honorary Consuls in Austria, officials of the Vienna City government, Austrian media, the Filipino community as well as the promenaders and visitors of the Christkindlmarkt.

"In the name of the Vienna city government, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks the Philippine Embassy here in Vienna for the wonderful lanterns decorations. These unique lanterns from the Philippine add more color and festivity to our Advent Festival here in Vienna," said Dr.

Vitouch during the lighting ceremony. She was the representative of Vienna Mayor Dr. Michael Häupl.

Ambassador Lacanlale and Dr. Elisabeth Vitouch Ambassador Lacanlale expressed her gratitude for giving the Philippines the opportunity to exhibit these lanterns.

"We are very proud to share with you not only a glimpse of Philippine Christmas but also the artistry and talent of the Filipino. Thank you very much for coming tonight and sharing with us this important event," said Ambassador Lacanlale.

Lacanlale also announced that the Vienna City Government had agreed to make the Philippine "parol (lantern)" display a regular feature of Vienna's Advent Festival and Christmas market.

The Filipino Community who graced the occasion this project hopes to promote Philippine culture and to acquaint European visitors with the ingenuity of lanterns made in the Philippines

which possibly would lead to market opportunities for Philippine exporters.

The project for the Philippine Christmas Tree at the Vienna Christkindlmarkt featuring Pampanga lanterns was undertaken by the City of San Fernando to promote the lanterns as part of the One Town, One Product program and to exhibit good camaraderie towards the Philippine

Embassy in Vienna headed by Ambassador Lacanlale, the City of Vienna and the Filipino community in Austria.