14 June 2018, Tel Aviv – The Philippine Embassy in Israel hosted the Moving Up Ceremony of its Filipino Language and Culture Program on 07 May 2018 with about 42 students and their parents in attendance.
In his remarks, Ambassador Neal Imperial stressed the importance of the students learning the Filipino language and culture to properly equip them during their visit and eventual return to the Philippines. He also encouraged the parents to continue in guiding and assisting their children by communicating with them in Filipino at home and by introducing the culture and core values of the Filipinos.
Ambassador Neal Imperial welcomes the parents and students to the Moving –Up Ceremony of the Embassy’s Filipino and Language Culture Program
Filipino students performing during the program
The Filipino Language and Culture Program is a project of the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv and Bialik Rogozin Campus to promote the welfare of Filipino children, born and raised in Israel who speak only the Hebrew language, by providing reintegration support and teaching them about their cultural roots and identity.
Students of the Embassy’s Language and Culture Program with Ambassador Neal Imperial and their volunteer teachers for class pictures.
The program is run by volunteer teachers from the Filipino community and Embassy personnel who underwent a training program with a language expert from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. The Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) funds the program.
On 12 June 2018, during the Embassy’s flag-raising ceremony to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence, Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola joined Ambassador Imperial in handing out Certificates of Commendation to the volunteer teachers.
DFA Undersecretary Arriola and Ambassador Imperial with the volunteer teachers of the Embassy’s Filipino Language and Culture Program at Bialik Rogozin School