The Embassy of Brazil in Manila recently hosted a reception to mark the 196th anniversary of the Independence Day of Brazil at The Peninsula Manila. Close to 350 guests attended, including government officials, diplomatic and consular corps, representatives from international organizations, private sector companies and the media, and members of the Brazilian community in the Philippines.
Ambassador Rodrigo do Amaral Souza and Madam Laís do Amaral welcomed Assistant Secretary Maria Lumen B. Isleta, representing the Department of Foreign Affairs; Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, dean of the diplomatic corps; and ambassador of the Philippines to Brazil, Marichu Mauro.
Below are some excerpts from the speech of his excellency Ambassador Rodrigo do Amaral Souza:
“Today, Brazil celebrates its National Day, marking the 196th anniversary of our independence from Portugal in 1822. On this occasion, when we reflect on our national identity, it is with great satisfaction that I note the strength of the relations between Brazil and the Philippines, and the great potential still left to intensify them.
“Despite the geographical distance that separates our two countries, we are united by common values and historical ties. Filipinos and Brazilians share the legacy of multicultural peoples, shaped by diversity, a desire for development, the existence of solid democracies, diversified economies and an extensive environmental heritage.
“Brazil and the Philippines celebrated last July the 72nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. I look forward with confidence and enthusiasm to the task of maintaining and strengthening our bilateral ties. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Viva o Brasil!”
Brazil Ambassador Rodrigo do Amaral Souza and wife Laís do Amaral
Vice Consul Luiz Gustavo de Lacerda Sousa, Amanda Chagas de Lacerda Sousa, Ambassador Rodrigo do Amaral Souza, Laís do Amaral, Counsellor Fernanda Maria Soares dos Santos, Marcus Vinicius Soares dos Santos, Vice Consul Adolpho Cieslak Evangel
Colombia Ambassador Victor Hugo Echeverri Jaramillo, Gambia Consul AgnesHuibonhoa, PanamaAmbassador Rolando Anibal Guevara Alvarado, Ambassador Rodrigo doAmaral Souza, Monaco Consul General Fortune Ledesma, Chile Ambassador Jose Miguel Capdevila Villaroel
Poland Chargé d’ Affaires Jaroslaw Szczepankiewicz, Hungarian Ambassador József Bencze, Venezuelan Ambassador Capaya Rodriguez Gonzales
Dr. Carlos Madrid and partner Jeleen Pek, Susan Fries and her husband, Swedish Ambassador Harald Fries, Denmark Ambassador Jan Top Christensen
Hungary Deputy Chief of Mission David Ambrus, Kata Kondar-Ambrus, the Norwegian Embassy’s Stian Arvid Hegland, Isabel Alvarez, US Consul General Russel Brown
Ramin Mahmoudi, Austrian Ambassador Bita Rasoulian, Marissa Arciniega, Mexican Ambassador Gerardo Lozano Arredondo
Dan Vu, Shamaila Aman, Kieu Phung, Mervat Ezzat
Franklin Velazquez, Venezuela Embassy Attaché Daniellys Escalon Arellano, Marlyn Natera, Venezuela Minister Counsellor Rojyar Seyeddi, Helmunt Nieves
Switzerland Embassy Attachée Nicole Zuberbühler Cåndido, Switzerland Deputy Head of Mission Mathias Domenig, Anna Schissau, GermanyDeputyHead of Mission Roland Schissau
US Vice Consul Tara Shaughnessy, Mexico Deputy Head of Mission Ricardo Sanchez Mendez, Artistien Remi Hapsari, Alfredo Roca
Patricia Lopez, Veronica Foxley, Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Adriana Ureta
Kuwait Ambassador Musaed Althwaikh and Faoud Assad
Fiji Consul Jesus Pineda, Argentine Ambassador Jose Nestor Ureta, Marites Pineda
Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev, Greek Ambassador Nicolaos Kaimenakis