Europe Day 2026 celebrations in the Philippines highlighted partnership, culture, and people-to-people connections

The public celebration was held on 9 May at Rizal Park, the most famous park of Manila, named after the Philippine national hero José Rizal, in partnership with the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC). Open to the public, the event brought together representatives from government, the diplomatic community, academe, media, civil society, youth, students, park-goers, and members of the public in a shared celebration of Europe Day.

© European Union, 2026

The programme featured the unveiling of the EU-Philippines commemorative mural and map at the European / Noli Me Tangere Garden, symbolizing the enduring historical and cultural connections between Europe and the Philippines, including the intellectual journey of Dr. José Rizal in Europe.

© European Union, 2026

A special poetry tribute inspired by Rizal also formed part of the programme. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro delivered a reading of "Sa Aking mga Kabata" in Filipino, while a Deputy Executive Director Jezreel Apelar from NPDC presented an English reading of the poem for international guests, reflecting the spirit of cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

© European Union, 2026

© European Union, 2026

Full video of the poetry reading delivered by EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro and NPDC Deputy Executive Director Jezreel Apelar:

Throughout the evening, guests and visitors participated in public activities including a free EU-themed photobooth and the illumination of the Rizal Monument and Musical Dancing Fountain in the colours of the European Union while the European anthem played across the park. Hundreds of people, from all generations, gathered to watch the performance.

© European Union, 2026

Short video of the Fountain Illumination during the Europe Day 2026 celebration at Rizal Park:

In his remarks, Ambassador Santoro recalled that Europe Day commemorates the Schuman Declaration, which laid the foundations of the European Union through the principles of cooperation, solidarity, and peace.

© European Union, 2026

"In a world facing ongoing challenges, including Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East, we are reminded that peace cannot be taken for granted. The European Union continues to stand for dialogue, respect for international law, and the protection of human dignity," Ambassador Santoro said.

He also underlined the importance of multilateralism, cultural exchange, and people-to-people engagement in strengthening ties between Europe and the Philippines.

"We wanted to open this celebration to the public-because Europe Day is not only about institutions, it's about people," he added.

The Europe Day celebrations continued on 12 May with the Europe Day Reception attended by partners from government, the diplomatic community, academe, civil society, and friends of the European Union.

© European Union, 2026

As part of the reception, held at the Ayala Museum, guests also visited a Copernicus booth, installed on purpose for the event, featuring photographs from the Copernicus satellites, which are being used for the National Copernicus Capacity Support Action Programme (CopPhil), an ongoing cooperation between the European Union, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), highlighting EU-Philippines collaboration in earth observation, science, and innovation as part of the wider Global Gateway partnership framework.

© European Union, 2026

© European Union, 2026

Through Europe Day 2026, the European Union reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Philippines and promoting dialogue, multilateral cooperation, cultural exchange, and connections between peoples.