CEBU: A statue of Tamil saint and poet, Thiruvalluvar was unveiled over the weekend during the Indo-Philippine Cultural and Educational Exchange Summit held in Cebu, known as the Philippines' Queen City of the South, to celebrate 75 years of the establishment of India and the Philippines ties.
Ambassador Harsh Kumar Jain unveiled the statue of the revered Tamil saint and poet, Thiruvalluvar, at the Gullas College of Medicine (GCM) in Cebu on Saturday and attended the Indo-Philippine Cultural and Educational Exchange Summit organised as part of the celebrations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries at GCM on 15 February 2025, according to a post on X by the Embassy of India in the Philippines.
The event was organised by GCM under the leadership of its Chief Executive Adviser Dr. David Pillai, who commissioned the Thiruvalluvar statue at the College.
The evening was filled with cultural performances by Indian and Filipino cultural troupes and addresses by dignitaries. Among others, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, senior officials from the central, provincial and city governments, diplomats, members of the Indian diaspora and other distinguished guests from India and the Philippines attended the event.
Earlier in November 2024, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar attended the celebration marking 75 years of India-Philippines diplomatic ties hosted by the Embassy of the Philippines in New Delhi.
“Glad to attend the celebrations marking 75 years of India-Philippines Diplomatic ties. The logo for the occasion captures our special relations rooted in democratic values, pluralistic ethos and economic commonalities. Our convergences and shared interest in the Indo-Pacific have contributed to the strengthening of ties. India-Philippines friendship is truly an enduring one that is poised to now move to a higher orbit, ” EAM posted on X.
India and the Philippines have collaborated on sustaining and consolidating their cultural relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Like many other nations, the Philippines also shares civilisational links with India. The presence of numerous words with Sanskrit roots are found in Tagalog, the local language of the Philippines.
In Manila and other parts of the Philippines, Indian cultural events are often organised in commemoration of India’s Republic Day, Independence Day, Indian festivals and other important days such as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Constitution Day, Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, etc.