BASTILLEDAYIN THE PHILIPPINES
On July 14, 1789, French revolutionaries raided the prison fortress of the Bastille in Paris–an event that ignited a 10-year long revolution which spread all over Europe and the world. This was a historic chapter that proclaimed permanent, universal, and fundamental principles that espoused liberty and democracy for all peoples. Later on, the 14th of July was declared France’s national day, which is more commonly known abroad as “Bastille Day.”
In the Philippines this year, the occasion was commemorated with a reception hosted by French Ambassador Nicolas Galey and his wife, Camélia, at their residence in Manila.
They were pleased to welcome members of the government, the diplomatic and consular corps, the private sector, the media, and the embassy’s partners in the cultural, scientific, and educational sectors to an evening of French cuisine, music, and camaraderie, animated by the Jewelmer Jazz Band and singer-actress Pinky Amador and concluded by cheers for the competing teams in the live screening of the third-place playoffs of the FIFA World Cup.
In his speech, Ambassador Galey recalled the meaning and influence of the French Revolution beyond France, including to the Philippines, as shown in numerous references to the French Revolution in texts of Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Luis Rodriguez Varela.
“Now, the Philippines and France have many other things to share in the globalized world, so I’m very happy that our bilateral agenda has been a very busy one in the last months,” he stressed. The ambassador likewise recognized the role of the Depart- ment of Foreign Affairs, Filipino partners, and the French business community in the Philippines in the continued growth of French-Philippine bilateral ties.
One day after Bastille Day, celebrations in France continued after the victory of the French National Football Team against impressive Croatian players, giving them their second title as world champions 20 years after winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998.