By Evelyn Opilas – A Christmas-themed Filipino display is underway 17 Nov to 7 Dec at Parramatta City Council Library, showcasing creativity, innovativeness and tradition, and the country’s natural beauty to mainstream Australia.
Parramatta Library has hosted the Filipino-motif displays for the past 14 years, a project developed by the library’s multicultural services librarian Ms Pauline Chan and journalist-author Ms Evelyn Opilas in 2000, then timed to coincide with Philippine Independence Day celebrations.
This is the first year that the display has focussed on what could be the world’s longest Christmas celebration.
Filipinos start preparing for Christmas when the month ends in ‘ber’ and end the celebration on the Feast of the Three Kings Jan.6.
The Philippine Department of Tourism Sydney through Tourism Attache Consuelo G. Jones has actively supported the project from its start in 2000, providing brochures and posters that promote the Philippines and its people.
Project partners in this year’s display are Parramatta Library, the Philippine Tourism Office, the Association of Golden Australian Pilipinos Inc (AGAPI) and The Philippine Voice Pty.Ltd.
In 2004, the writer coordinated simultaneous displays at 12 libraries around Sydney with the support and assistance of several community groups, the Philippine Trade Office Sydney and the Department of Tourism Sydney, making it a united project of Sydney’s vibrant Filipino community.