And the Phl Smurfs Ambassador is...are you looking at me?

Guess who has been tapped as the Philippines’ Ambassador to the upcoming Global Smurfs Day coordinated by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, the world-wide celebration of the birthday of Peyo, the beloved creator of the Smurfs, on June 22 in Brussels and Paris.

“Smurfrisingly,” it’s none other than…yes, your Funfarer!

Incredible, isn’t it? I confess that at first I couldn’t believe it myself. To be honest, unlike my little nephews and nieces and their classmates and playmates, I’m not an authority when it comes to the Smurfs world, although I do know the basic information about the blue-skinned, three-apple-tall characters. And I must admit that they’ve been a constant source of joyful amusement – from their sunny optimism, delightful appearance, good-natured humor to their overall values-centric message.

So when I was offered the rare honor of representing the country in their name, I grabbed the chance before anyone could say, “Smurfilicious!”  I will proudly hand-carry to Brussels and Paris a Smurf figurine holding a Philippine flag and dressed in Barong Tagalog, together with the requirements — white shoes and socks, white pants and belt, and white body-fit sleeveless shirt.

All of us more than 120 “ambassadors”  (some are celebrities, others are journalists and most are die-hard “Smurfians”) from around 30 countries will be painted blue, so if you happen to be in that part of the world on June 22 and you won’t say “Hi!” to me, I won’t really blame you because I, rather we, will be a Smurf for a day. Wait, if somebody who looks like a Smurf in white cap waves a big “Hi!” at you, that’s me!

From Brussels, we will take a one-hour train ride to Paris. I’m sure I’ll feel like a kid again as I enjoy the experience not only as a journalist out on a coverage, but more importantly as a proactive participant. In Brussels, Veronique Culliford, Peyo’s daughter, will officially swear us in as Smurf representatives from our respective countries. The fun-filled (if irreverent) ceremony will take place under the watchful eye of an important Brussels monument: a Smurf statue unveiled just a year earlier. 

The more I immerse myself in everything Smurfs as part of my preparation for Global Smurfs Day (recently confirmed by Marc Weinstock, president of Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures) the greater my appreciation of these lovable characters become. Since their first appearance in the pages of a Belgian comic book in 1958, Peyo’s Smurfs have entertained children and adults around the world, coming to life in comics, books, television series, films, videogames, live shows, figurines (over 300 million sold) until finally they ruled the world’s box office in Sony Pictures Animation’s 2011 hit The Smurfs. A highly anticipated sequel, The Smurfs 2, is scheduled to open in the Philippines on Aug. 7.

A major part of the Smurfs’ appeal is their espousal of Smurftastic values such as family, teamwork, friendship and being who you choose to be. Happily, these are the same values I believe in and strive to inculcate in my nephews and nieces and their children.  Throw in the Smurfs’ penchant for magic, cool and funny language, and clean fun, and how could a Baby Boomer like me resist being their ambassador?

I just learned that it will be the second celebration of Global Smurfs Day in what is quickly becoming a tradition. In 2011, the round-the-world events included painting one of the famous White Towns of Andalusia blue and setting a new record for being the  Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Smurfs within a 24-hour period (multiple venues).

Freshly charged with our ambassadorial duties, as I was saying, we will board a Thalys train and shoot off to Paris, the locale of the adventures in Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation’s The Smurfs 2.  With a few surprises in store and a sightseeing tour of the French capital, we will be tasked with a mission that is the stuff of high diplomacy: to leave a happy trail of blue smiles in our wake, and herald the arrival of the new film.

An herculean task: We ambassadors will also be taking photos and posting them on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #GlobalSmurfsDay. The photos will stream to the official Global Smurfs Day microsite at www.GlobalSmurfsDay.net where users can also virtually check in to Global Smurfs Day activities and find information about all worldwide events, official photos, and a sizzle reel.

Festivals and celebrations will be dedicated to the Smurfs in locations as far and away as the Buenos Aires Planetarium, Mumbai’s Imagica theme park and Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Sugarloaf Mountain.

More information:

• In Australia, Surfers Paradise will officially become Smurfers Paradise for the day, while Moscow’s famed Gorky Park and Dublin’s Ha’Penny Bridge will be covered in smurf-blue flowers.  Smurfs will visit children’s hospitals and media centers; invade Warsaw’s Old City Square; engage in sand sculpture marathons; run Smurfathons around the world; and kick off a massive sing-along with the group Right Said Fred in London.

• In Los Angeles, families will enjoy the day with appearances by the Smurfs, play the Ubisoft video game, sample Menchie’s Smurfberry frozen yogurt, and participate in other fun activities; in addition, the US Forest Service and Ad Council’s Discover the Forest campaign will be on hand to distribute activity booklets and encourage children and their families to get outside and experience the many benefits of nature, and in the evening, families will be able to catch the first Smurfs film at an evening outdoor screening.

• In the Philippines, a small army of Smurfs has “invaded” the SM Mall of Asia’s steel-framed globe. The globe will display an LED projection of the Global Smurfs Day logo on the days leading to the event and on Global Smurfs Day itself. On June 22 at the SM MOA Atrium, families are invited to show up in their Smurfiest blue attires and participate in fun family activities highlighted by a “Meet and Greet” of Clumsy Smurf who will appear in the Philippines for the first time, straight from Smurfs Village. Kids can win Smurfs toys from the La-la-la sing-offs, for being best dressed in blue, and by joining the fun games. There will also be photo booths, face painting, Tiny Town arts and crafts activities for kids, and blue-hued refreshments. The venue will be dressed up, and will include Sony Bravia screens set-up to show trailers and clips of The Smurfs 2.

Said Weinstock, “We’re thrilled that we can continue the tradition we started on the first film with an all-new Global Smurfs Day celebration.  This is a great way to honor Peyo’s birthday and his legacy, by bringing the world together across generations for a day of fun and festivities.”

In The Smurfs 2, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world’s greatest sorcerer. It’s up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the otherSmurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue?

The film is directed by Raja Gosnell and produced by Jordan Kerner.  The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn and Karey Kirkpatrick with a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss & Jay Scherick & David Ronn, Based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.

Oops! Am I getting carried away and telling you the whole story?

Anyway, I’ll tell you more when I get back not as Smurf but as dear old me.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)