British-Filipino tenor Kevin Kyle performs at the Christmas Party for young Pinoys hosted by the Philippine Embassy in London. Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega (left) looks on with some guests/Patrick Camara Ropeta, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

LONDON - The Philippine embassy in London hosted a Christmas party for young Filipinos in England, including students, professionals and second generation British Pinoys.

Held at the new cultural center in the embassy building, the event offered an open forum for speakers and performers, as well as an opportunity for young people to socialize with their peers, and some leading members of the Filipino community.

“You’re all engaged in diverse fields of studies and professions, interests and activities. As you get to mingle and talk, I hope that this event will serve as a starting point for new friendships, collaborations and partnerships,” declared Antonio Lagdameo, Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The event included a program of speakers from various groups, with representatives from Pinoy Radio, Philippine Generations, The Philippine Community Fund, and the Filipino student community in Britain.

There were also performances from Filipino artists, including classically trained musician Kevin Kyle, who performed an acoustic rendition of ‘Dahil Sayo’.

The annual gathering, originally set up for students, has recently been restructured to include promising young professionals and second generation Filipinos.

This year’s event was attended by a healthy mixture of people from various academic and professional backgrounds, including law, media, charity, music, sciences and the arts.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to meet the same sort of people in our situation, and share experiences and traditions of the Filipinos, and propagate the good values and remind us of our roots,” said Karlene Denolo-Hayworth, a writer and soprano, who also delivered a rousing performance at the party.

The embassy entertained guests with music, snacks and refreshments, and provided the infamous Filipino party favorite - karaoke.

“The response has been very enthusiastic, and we’re happy with the results. These are very positive developments, and we hope that we can continue doing this in years to come,” observed Reynaldo Catapang, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Philippine embassy.

With the success of this year’s Christmas party for young Filipinos, the embassy hopes that they could continue to organize similar events, with the aim of stimulating positive action and communication within the community.