UP Diliman (UPD) once again recognized its international community through the Chancellor’s International Reception 2024 (CIR 2024).

A part of the UPD Linggo ng Parangal, the CIR is an event where the chancellor celebrates UPD’s good relations with its international academic partners.

In his message, UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II recalled how 75 years ago, UP witnessed the exodus of the Oblation from the Manila campus to Diliman. He also mentioned the University’s academic exchanges and collaborations with its international partners in the past year.

“‘Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success,’” Vistan said, quoting Henry Ford. “Cheers to more years of coming together, keeping together, and working together,” he ended his message.

Dignitaries and special envoys who attended the event were from Australia, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Morocco, the People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Spain.

Also in attendance were international faculty and students, UP System and UPD officials.

Meanwhile, the UP Filipiniana Dance Group performed the balliwes, b’laan, and tinikling at the CIR 2024. According to a brief that the dance group prepared, Balliwes is a community dance to express jubilation during social gatherings in the Province of Abra. B’laan is a courtship dance performed by the B’laan people of South Cotabato, while tinikling is a dance from the Leyte province imitating the movements of Tikling birds.

Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Vietnam Ambassador Lai Thai Binh, Timor-Liste Ambassador Marciano Octavio Garcia Da Silva, Tërkiye Ambassador Nivazi Evren Aykol, Bureau of Immigration Deputy Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado, UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, and Vistan then led the other guests in a CIR ceremonial toast.

This year’s tokens presented to the members of the diplomatic corps were postcards featuring UPD sites and coasters that featured watercolor renditions of original photos of four birds found in UPD. History professor Ferdinand Llanes, PhD, photographed an olive-backed sunbird, a Philippine scops owl, and a white-collared Kingfisher. The photograph of a coppersmith barbet was taken by UPD College of Science Dean Giovanni A. Tapang. Visual artists Dayong Co and Chloe Peralta did the postcards and the watercolor renditions of the featured birds.

Organized by the UPD Office of International Linkages in coordination with the UPD Office of the Chancellor, CIR 2024 was held on June 19 at the UP Theater Lobby.