Story & photos by Recto Mercene
NOTHING could spoil a party worse than a heavenly downpour, so Austria’s Ambassador to the Philippines Bita Rasoulian sought no less than divine intervention for pleasant weather—even for a few hours—during a very important event for her nation which was celebrated here in the country.
“Saint Clare finally has given me her blessings. It costs two dozen eggs, but believe me—it was worth it,” she confessed, to the amusement of her appreciative audience who gave her a hearty applause. (The Italian saint from Assisi called Santa Clara by Filipinos is the same advocate childless couples pray to for an offspring by dancing the fandango in Obando, Bulacan.)
For believers, it was nothing short of miraculous. Although the Makati City area and its environs were soaked early on October 25 from an approaching tropical storm, the rains suddenly stopped by the time the Austrian National Day celebration kicked off at 7 p.m. at the ambassador’s residence.
To be on the safe side, however, the diplomat had spread giant parasol-like canopies over her sprawling garden to protect more her than 400 guests from getting drenched.
She greeted everyone in German and English: “Liebe Auslandsösterreicher! A very warm welcome to the Austrian National Day!” and then in her native tongue and Filipino: “Herzlich Willkommen zum österreichischen Nationalfeiertag! Isang maligayang pagdating sa pambansang kaarawan ng Austria!”
‘Common bond’
RASOULIAN’S country, Austria, is a relatively small (84,000 square kilometers) but highly dynamic state with a population of about 9 million, two-thirds of whom are Catholics. The national language is German.
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I.
Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria’s status remained unclear for a decade.
A state treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria’s independence and barred unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared its “perpetual neutrality” as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal.
The Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 and Austria’s entry into the European Union (EU) in 1995 have altered the meaning of this impartiality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU’s Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
“Despite our distance, the Philippines and Austria have a common bond: the fraternal friendship between our hero, Dr. Jose Rizal and the Austrian scholar, Ferdinand Blumentritt, dating back to 1886,” she said.
The Filipinos remembered and reciprocated Austria’s fondness of the two intellectuals by naming one of the longest streets in Manila after its revered citizen Blumentritt, which starts in La Loma then cuts across Espana and terminates in Sampaloc.
The lady envoy said those bonds remain as strong today, and “are at the heart of our relations. Currently, about 1,000 Austrian nationals live in this beautiful country, while about 50,000 Filipinos call Austria their new home.”
She reminded guests that the country’s National Day “commemorates the adoption in 1955 of the constitutional law on the permanent neutrality of Austria.”
“With peace, democracy and the rule of law at the core of [its] domestic and foreign policies, Austria is today one of the most peaceful nations in the world. Today, we are also celebrating more than 70 years of diplomatic relations between Austria and the Philippines, a symbol of how two nations, although geographically far apart, can forge a common purpose and interest toward a shared future.”
The diplomat informed her audience that 2017 has been an important year for Austria following the swearing into office of new president Alexander van der Bellen.
And just a few weeks ago, the Conservative People’s party won the parliamentary elections in Austria, with our dynamic Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz poised to become not only Europe’s but the world’s youngest leader.
“Based on an initiative led by Austria and four like-minded nations, the UN Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons was adopted a few months ago,” Rasoulian stated as she thanked her host country for supporting this initiative.
The Austrian representative also congratulated President Duterte and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for successfully liberating Marawi City.
“We look forward to an ever closer cooperation with the Asean during Austria’s presidency of the EU in the second half of 2018 when we host the EU-Asean Ministerial Conference in Vienna.”
‘Shared interests, principles’
ON trade, she said Austria and the Philippines are linked by a wide array of shared interests and principles:
“In the economic field, the Philippines’s endeavor to build a more inclusive and prosperous nation is followed with great interest in Austria.”
She said the prospects for joint partnerships and investments are especially promising “in renewable energy, green technologies, infrastructure, health, medical technologies and many more—where Austrian companies offer cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art solutions.”
Touching on the current global concern about the impending proliferation of nuclear weapons, Rasoulian said the campaign “ICAN,” founded in Austria to abolish nuclear weapons, was also recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.
“Today’s global challenges, be it nuclear safety, the fight against terrorism, drug and human trafficking, organized crime, migration and climate change, all require joint transnational action.”
As 2017 chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Austria is committed to cooperation and dialogue with a special focus on the fight against radicalization and extremism, which are the similar threats also facing the Philippines and its Association of Southeast Asian Nations partners.
“Together with Consul [Wolfgang] Gmasz and Austrian Commercial Counselor [Christina] Stieber, I look forward to exploit the full potential of our ties in the political, economic, scientific and cultural fields.”
The diplomat then requested her guests to join her in prayer to honor the late pioneering industrialist and philanthropist Washington SyCip, Austria’s Honorary Consul General in Manila: “A long-standing friend and anchor of Austria in the Philippines; a man who rendered his services for more than four decades to the Austrian people and the Austrian government.”
“He was, as we say, a true mensch: A man of integrity and dignity, a visionary and mentor, who with his perpetual youth and wisdom brought peoples and nations together, inspired, gave hope and put a smile in the hearts and souls of those around him. Wash, your legacy will live on forever.”
Envoy early on
ACCORDING to the web site of the Embassy of Austria in the Philippines, Rasoulian began her diplomatic career at the age of 26.
It said that from her first assignment in 1995 at the department for EU Common Policies and Single Market, she rose through the ranks of the Austrian federal ministry for Foreign Affairs to ambassador of Austria to the Republic of the Philippines and Palau.
Prior to her appointment, she was counselor at the Austrian Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela in 1997, became deputy consul general at the Austrian Consulate General in Los Angeles, USA from 2000 to 2004.
The lady envoy then served as deputy head of mission at the Austrian embassies in Mexico City between 2004 and 2008 and afterward, in Buenos Aires, Argentina spanning 2012 to 2017.
She has been assigned Ambassador of Austria to the Republic of the Philippines as of July.
Rasoulian speaks English, German, French, Spanish and Farsi fluently, and has knowledge of Italian and Polish. She is married with two children.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano, Recto Mercene