10th General Assembly of European Network of Filipino Diaspora (ENFID) held in Vienna

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The 10th General Assembly of the European Network of Filipino Diaspora (ENFiD), held at the United Nations Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, was a resounding success. Attended by nearly 100 delegates from various ENFiD chapters across Europe, the event was a testament to the resilience and empowerment of the Filipino diaspora.

The assembly began with a family photo shoot of the ENFiD community, followed by a guided tour of the prestigious UN building. High-level sessions commenced at 10 a.m., with ENFiD Chairperson Christian Estrada warmly welcoming the delegates and elaborating on the theme of the assembly: “Diaspora, Actions, Resilience, Empowerment.”

The event was graced by esteemed guests, including Hermann Kroiher of the United Nations Correspondents Association in Vienna, who expressed his appreciation for being a part of the general assembly. Renate Amesbauer of the Women’s Federation for World Peace and Peter Haider of the Universal Peace Federation also conveyed support and solidarity for ENFiD.

The achievements of the member countries were proudly reported by Mayor Myla Arceno of the United Kingdom, Consul General Roderico C. Atienza of Hungary, and Honorary Consul Charmagne Garcia-Laconico of Cyprus. The cultural and connection session, “Roots & Routes: TCK Tales of Belonging,” featured insightful conversations with Ren Mangaban and Sarah Jozelle Rojas of ENFiD-Austria.

The event also included a session on the future of Filipino communities, moderated by Marvi Gil of ENFID-Iceland, with speakers such as Valerie Badilla of ENFID-Cyprus, Marison Rodriguez of ENFID-Czech Republic, and Christel Gaño, the founder of Ligaya Apparel.

The Philippine Ambassador to Austria, Evangelina Arroyo Bernas, hailed the achievements of ENFID and thanked everyone for their collaboration with their respective Filipino embassies. Dr. Jane Abaya of the Philippine Austrian Cultural and Educational Society (PACES) challenged the group to support the Philippine government’s program to support Filipino talents in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The assembly also featured cybersecurity and anti-money laundering sessions, with presentations by Jeffrey Morales of ENFID-Germany and Ms. Sofia Dems of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC). Finally, Gene Alcantara, the founder of ENFID, elaborated on the network’s organizational structure.

This 10th General Assembly of ENFID was a resounding success, showcasing the European Filipino diaspora community’s resilience, empowerment, and collective actions. The event’s diverse and engaging program highlighted the community’s commitment to supporting one another and improving their respective countries and the global Filipino community.