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The Great British Festival 2018 kicks off on February 23, as the British Embassy Manila brings together some of the biggest UK brands to showcase the best of UK’s music, fashion, innovation, food, and arts.
British Ambassador Daniel Pruce led the ribbon cutting ceremony that formally opened the festival activities. The Ambassador went around the festival area, with British excellence showcased at the Glorietta 2 Activity Center, Palm Drive, Makati City.
I hope the Great British Festival 2018 will help foster still closer links between our countries. By reaching across the Philippines, I hope we will give more people than ever before a firsthand opportunity to learn more about the UK.” – British Ambassador Daniel Pruce
He also added that currently, there is a growing numbers of students from the Philippines are coming to the UK. We now have nearly 20 universities in both our countries working together to deliver joint qualifications. The UK benefits from a thriving community of over 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in our society, making an enormous contribution to our country. More and more Brits are coming here to live and work nearly 17,000 at the last count. Over 200 British companies are operating in the Philippines with many more eager to come.
Appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines last August 2017, Pruce was former Deputy Head of Mission at British Embassy in Madrid and in Bangkok.
During the festival opening, guests had fun sampling the delicious assortment of British food & drinks and experienced the interactive exhibits staged by the festival’s partner brands: M&S, Speedo, The Body Shop, Lush, Shell, STI Limited, Digital Barriers, Diageo, Quorn, Costa Coffee, and Union Jack Tavern. Visitors participated in a great trivia challenge, British film screenings, story-telling for children, a whisky pavilion, and the much-anticipated Rockaoke Contest (with a first prize of two tickets to London on Etihad Airways).
Admission to the Great British Festival event is free.
The Great British Festival 2018 will run for two weeks and will reach out across the country, with a variety of activities in Metro Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete, and Baguio from February 23 until March 10.
The activities include: Artkitektura, a forum on global architecture and urban developments happening on Feb. 24; British Bake-off, a competition hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce (Feb. 24); a series of lectures led by UK experts (Feb. 27 in UP Diliman and Feb. 28 in De La Salle University); a talk by the British Ambassador on British excellence, transnational education, and UK business excellence (March 1 in Saint Louis University, Baguio and Mar 5-6 in Siliman University, Dumaguete); Trade Mission in Iloilo City from March 7-9, and; a showcase of the best of British food and drink in Cebu City in association with Chef Jason Atherton.
The Festival is also supported by the British Council, the British Chamber of Commerce, Glorietta, HSBC, St. Andrew’s Society, National Bookstore, Jollibee, FDCP, Triumph Motorbikes, Unilever, Ciarks, Jaguar Land Rover, Mothercare, Cath Kidston, Shakeaway, Superdry, Hamleys, Santos Knight Frank, The Pig and Palm, British Women’s Association, Siliman University, Saint Louis University, De La Salle University and University of the Philippine.
To see the complete schedule of activities, like and follow the British Embassy Manila on Facebook (facebook.com/ukinthephillppines), Twitter (twitter.com/ukinphilippines) or visit our website (www.gov.uk/world/philippines).
