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From Designer to Diplomat

My unlikely road to becoming a career diplomat, with Roots & Wings along the way Whenever someone finds out what I did before entering the foreign service (or whenever I tell my old branding or screenwriting clients why I can’t take on new projects any more), there tends to be a surprise in the inevitable reaction—namely, “How did that happen?”—that I find daunting to satisfy. The simple answer is that my mother-in-law saw an ad for the 2019 exams and thought I might be a goo

Marthy Angue

Jan 249 min read

Three Filipino Books Launch in the Czech Republic

An official press release from the Philippine Embassy in the Czech Republic 22 October 2025 — The Philippine Embassy in Czech Republic, in partnership with Anglo-American University (AAU) in Prague ( https://tinyurl.com/3drn7eea ) and in cooperation with the National Book Development Board, organized the official launch of three books written by Filipino authors recently translated into the Czech language: The Uninvited Guests from Bikol (Nezvani hoste z Bikolu), written by

Roots and Wings

Jan 241 min read

Filipino-Germans Eager to Reconnect Heritage Via CFO's YouLeaD program

By the Commission for Filipinos Overseas (CFO) HANAU, Germany — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) received strong interest from Filipino-Germans in its Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD) Program, which helps young Filipinos abroad reconnect with their heritage. At the “Ugnayan sa Germany 2025: Liwaliw” cultural forum, co-hosted by the CFO and the National Book Development Board (NBDB), many participants—especially Filipino mothers—asked about YouLeaD’s requirem

Roots and Wings

Jan 242 min read

Presidential Awardee Cuizon Pledges Support for CFO Cultural Programs

Press Release from Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Presidential awardee and Filipino community leader Virgilio “Ver” Cuizon has committed to support the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) by serving as a resource person for its Virtual Sentro Rizal–Educational Series. His pledge was made during a meeting with CFO Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II and artists from his group, KUNST Filipino. Commission on Filipinos Overseas Secretary Dante "Klink" Ang II recently met wi

Roots and Wings

Jan 241 min read

RECIPES for Keeps

Fostering cross-cultural understanding through culinary diplomacy by Sonia Zerrudo-Gostencnik, Austria The European Network of Filipino Diaspora Austria (ENFiD-Austria) virtually launched the first edition of its cookbook “RECIPES for Keeps” in December 2020, after enduring an almost year-long lockdown due to the pandemic. Conceived from the shelter of our homes, it was born out of longing—for warmth, for connection, for the flavours that carried our stories. What began as a

Community

Oct 14, 20254 min read

Rediscovering Identity in Vienna

Filipino pride comes to the fore in Austria by Harold & Marie Khan Barkada group at Barrio Fiesta by Harold & Marie Khan The Filipino community in Vienna was somewhat overlooked until a little more than 20 years ago, when their gatherings were often limited to karaoke nights, intimate family get-togethers, and quiet church services. These moments were warm, familiar, and comforting—a way of holding on to traditions and staying connected to home. Yet beneath the joy of shared

Community

Oct 14, 20256 min read

Across Islands and Alps

My path in science and educational diplomacy by Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco, Austria Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an alumna of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Erasmus Mundus. Her work has been recognised with the Global Exemplary Education Double Gold Award, the Global Exemplary Innovative Leadership Diamond Award from GlobalWIN (UK), and the Marie Curie Social Impact Award. She is a proud Mom to Gabrielle Sofia, now 13, who can proudly

Community

Oct 14, 20254 min read

A Royal Audience in the Arctic

Meet the 9-year-old Filipina who sang for Norway’s king, queen and crown prince Fiona Lucille Carubanga sings “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne at the Svalbard Treaty Jubilee August 14, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Fergesen) On a cool day in August, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway took a seat in the central square of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, to be treated to performances by the best talent the world’s northernmost town could muster. One of these local lights was a 9-year-old girl named

Jennifer Fergesen

Oct 14, 20254 min read

Common Ground Kolektiv

A creative movement for connection and culture by Grace O. Emmelot, Oslo, Norway In a world where stories shape identity and creativity fuels connection, Common Ground Kolektiv (CGK) emerges as a vibrant initiative led by Filipino artists and creatives in the diaspora. This collective is more than a group—it’s a movement that transforms ideas into powerful expressions of cultural preservation and collective empowerment. At its core, CGK is a space where diverse voices converg

Community

Oct 13, 20253 min read

Mervic Vicky Monocillo: Nurse, Performer, Mother, Dreamer, Achiever

From healing hands to standing ovations When you meet Mervic Vicky Monocillo, you are immediately struck by her gentle warmth—the kind of calm presence that could only be honed by years of nursing. But as she begins to talk about her other love with music—her eyes light up, and it becomes abundantly clear: this London-based Filipina is just as much at home onstage as she is on the hospital floor or community nursing. Born and raised in the scenic coastal town of Miagao, Iloil