Ambassador Paredes wearing the Tubbataha-inspired dress as she walked down the runway (Photo courtesy of Association of Thai Silk and Culture Promotions)

BANGKOK, 03 SEPTEMBER 2024 – The “13th Celebration of Silk: Thai Silk Road to the World 2024” event took place at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall on Saturday, 31 August 2024. The highlight of the evening was the fashion show of collaborative creations of Thai student designers with the various diplomatic missions in Thailand, stunning display of cultural appreciation and creativity.

The Celebration of Silk event has become a significant platform for showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of Thailand and its neighboring countries. It brings together diplomats, designers, and artists in a celebration of creativity and cultural exchange. This year’s theme, "Thai Silk Road to the World," emphasized the importance of traditional silk in the modern world, while also highlighting the contributions of young designers around Thailand.

Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes took to the runway in a dress inspired by one of the Philippines' most treasured natural wonders, the Tubbataha Natural Park. She proudly modeled a gown designed by talented students from Kamphaeng Phet Rajabhat University.

The dress, meticulously crafted from Thai silk, drew inspiration from the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the heart of the Sulu Sea. The intricate design captured the vibrant marine life and the pristine beauty of the coral reefs, symbolizing the Philippines' commitment to preserving its rich biodiversity and protecting its maritime and archipelagic resources which sustain our history, social interactions, and livelihoods. Through fashion and culture, the Philippine Embassy joins the entire Filipino nation in the observance of Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) every September. The ode to the Tubbataha Reef in the design of Ambassador Paredes’s dress dovetails well with the MANA Mo 2024 theme of “Pamana ng Karagatan: Para Sa Kinabukasan, Ating Ingatan” which highlights the valuable maritime and archipelagic resources that all Filipinos have the responsibility to care for, preserve, and enrich in order for everyone, including future generations, to enjoy.

The participation of Ambassador Paredes in the Celebration of Silk also underscores the deepening ties between the Philippines and Thailand, particularly in culture and the arts, during the milestone 75th Anniversary of Philippines-Thailand diplomatic relations in 2024. It further serves as a testament to the power of collaboration between nations in celebrating and preserving their unique cultural identities. END