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By Llanesca T. Panti, Reporter
A bastion in the Czech Republic
has been named after National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal and Ferdinand
Blumentritt, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported Friday.
The bastion, located at
Dominikanska Street in Litomeřice, Czech Republic, opened on June
30 and houses a memorabilia on the friendship between Rizal and
Blumentritt that features a collection of pictures and documents
about Philippine-Czech Republic relations and a number of Filipino
cultural items.
It was made possible through the
efforts of Litomeřice Mayor Ladislav Chlupac Chlupac, the
Philippine Embassy in Prague and the local chapter of the Knights of
Rizal.
It is open to the public and
provides a space for researchers who are interested in conducting
studies on the life of Rizal.
Philippine Ambassador to the
Czech Republic Regina Irene Sarmiento marked the official opening of
the bastion alongside the officials and staff of the Philippine
Embassy in Prague.
Members of the Knights of Rizal
chapter in Prague, who also attended the opening, noted that the
establishment of the bastion is yet another step in preserving an
important aspect in the common history of the Philippines and the
Czech Republic as exemplified by the friendship of two prominent
men.
“In spite of the distance
between them [Rizal and Blumentritt], they were united by their
belief in freedom and democracy,” Sarmiento said.
“The collection of the Bastion
should inspire people from around the world to follow the footsteps
of Rizal and Blumentritt and contribute to a free world that is
prosperous and at peace as well,” she added.
Work at the bastion started in
the last quarter of 2008. The site, which used to be a part of the
old city fortifications, was donated by the office of the mayor.
The Philippine Embassy in Prague
provided some of the books and Philippine cultural items that are
now part of its collection.
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