Upon the invitation of the International Pacific College (IPC) in Palmerston North, New Zealand, Philippine Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez, accompanied by the Philippine Embassy Team joined the IPC’s International Spring Festival 2014 on 27 September 2014. Ambassador Benavidez and the Embassy Team were welcome by Professor Wayne L. Edwards, OBE, President of IPC and Ms. Emiko Kojima, IPC Festival Manager, at the IPC Administration Building to share with them the program of activities at the Festival and invited them to have morning tea prior to viewing the various stalls and exhibits at the Festival.

The IPC’s annual International Spring Festival, an iconic event in Palmerston North, celebrates the cultural diversity of the local and international communities residing in the area. The 2014 Festival showcased the multi-cultural diversity of Palmerston North though cultural displays and exhibitions, games and arts and crafts, multicultural performances from different countries, and international cuisine. Among the international foods section at the Festival was a Filipino food stall set up by the Filipino community in Palmerston North which featured traditional Filipino foods, such as adobo, chicken barbecue, noodles and fried rice, among others.

Multicultural performances included Taiko drumming performed by the IPC Kodama drum team, music, martial arts and traditional dances performed by IPC students. The IPC, in collaboration with local, regional and international communities, also featured multicultural exhibitions from Japan, China, India and the Middle East. The multicultural stalls had various activities and items for adults and children to enjoy and the beautiful IPC campus grounds filled with flowers and cherry blossom trees truly embodied the coming of Spring.

The Philippine Embassy and the International Pacific College have been actively collaborating in promoting close people-to-people ties especially among students and faculty members through presentations on Philippines-New Zealand relations and participation in the IPC’s students and cultural events.