NAIROBI --  The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, as part of the ASEAN Nairobi Committee (ANC), joined the Embassies/High Commission of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand in organizing the 5th ASEAN Festival in Kenya on 19 November 2022 at Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi.

The ASEAN Festival is among the flagship activities of the four-member ANC aimed at increasing ASEAN visibility and awareness among the Kenyan public. This year’s Festival featured cultural performances, cooking demonstration, and booth exhibits by ASEAN embassies, companies, and nationals based in Kenya.

Guest of Honor Mr. Stanley Mwangi, Deputy Director for Asia, Australasia and Pacific Islands of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, commended the ANC for organizing the Festival. He also cited the huge potential for further trade and investments, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Kenya and ASEAN.

The Philippine Embassy’s jeepney-themed booth featured various Philippine accessories, dining ware, food products including “Oozies” snack from Oishi South Africa (“Pillows” in the Philippines) , and other souvenir items. It also showcased Philippine tourism destinations and festivities.

Kenyan and other foreign students, under the tutelage of Filipino artistic director Mr. Arnie Umayam of the Academy of Dance and Art-Kenya, performed kappa malong malong, tinikling, arnis exhibition, and an original interpretation of the Filipino myth of “Malakas at Maganda”, which all drew an enthusiastic response from the audience.

The Philippine Embassy also organized a fashion show with the students of the Department of Fashion Design and Marketing of Kenyatta University. The students showcased their original creations that mixed Southeast Asian fabrics with traditional Kenyan attires and designs (e.g., piña cloth paired with Kenyan kitenge fabric).

The Filipino community in Kenya also participated in the ASEAN Festival and offered visitors a taste of Filipino delicacies including adobo, pinakbet, pancit, kutsinta, sapin-sapin, and siopao. (Philippine Embassy in Kenya)