Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Golez: Being proud again to be a Filipino By Anthony Golez MD, MBAH The Right Move
IT WAS one of the shortest flights going to the United States from Manila. Minutes after its take off, I dosed off and when I woke up, there were only two more hours left before landing at the San Francisco International Airport.
The official delegation of the President was lean, composed of five congressmen, two Cabinet secretaries and myself all heading for the 63rd United Nations General Assembly Plenary Meeting on the Culture of Peace in New York. We arrived in SF at 6 p.m. and went straight to our hotel for an overnight's stay before heading for the Big Apple. In the meantime, I have an hour to write this article about the importance of this trip before our dinner with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In the United Nations, it has always been a Philippine initiative to promote interfaith dialogue, as exemplified by the UNGA resolution promoted every year by the Philippines and Pakistan on interfaith, intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace. The theme of dialogue pervades the political, economic and cultural concerns in the international community. For, in the world still driven by tension and conflict, President Arroyo believes that only dialogue among all parties holds out the best hope for true and lasting peace.
Recently, the Saudi Arabian Mission to the UN has requested the convening of a high level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly under the Agenda Item "Culture of Peace." In response to this request under this agenda, the General Assembly will hold a plenary meeting and invited delegations to participate at the highest possible level. As per latest report from the Philippine Mission to the United Nations headed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilarion Davide, the following leaders have confirmed their attendance to join the dialogue with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo: the King of Saudia Arabia, the King of Spain, US President George Bush, Emirs from the Gulf States, the King of Morocco and the Prime Minister of Finland.
Knowing this background of the UNGA Plenary Meeting on the Culture of Peace, our nation once again can take pride of our stake at the global arena in finding lasting solutions for peace. We also should take pride that our President will be with the different Royalties and vital leaders of the world to discuss with them how the world can harmoniously live together amidst diversity in culture and religion. For this reason, we should be proud of ourselves for having a race that is in the forefront of global peace initiatives. And this is the reason why we are doing this quick trip four-day trip to the United States.
