MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Philippe J. Lhuillier recently donated 20 books to the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (BNP) to promote cultural diplomacy and enhance the awareness of the Portuguese public about the history and culture of the Philippines.
The books will contribute to Portugal’s national library as most of its books and maps are about the history and ancient voyages of Portugal and Spain in the 17th and 18th century.
These books are from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA).
Lhuillier turned over the books to BNP Director General Maria Ines Cordeiro in a ceremony held at the BNP´s conference room. It was attended by Embassy and BNP officials, with the department heads and representatives from the Portuguese Diplomatic Institute and the Instituto Camões.
The Ambassador promised Cordeiro that the 20 books are just an initial donation and he is looking forward to donate more Philippine books in the future.
During the ceremony, Cordeiro said the BNP plans to donate a number of Portuguese books to the National Library of the Philippines through the help of the Embassy.