TAIPEI, TAIWAN - The Manila Economic and Cultural Office together with its attached agencies and the Taipei City Government are holding the very first Street Dance Festival this Sunday, 20 February 2022.

The festival, dubbed “Santo Niño Beats for Peace Festival: In My Circular World,” will showcase Filipino religious culture and tradition through a vibrant parade and a dance competition in the streets of Taipei. This is reminiscent of the annual historical festivals in honor of the Infant Jesus embraced by Filipino communities worldwide such as the Ati-Atihan, Sinulog, and Dinagyang to name a few.

Usually held during the 3rd Sunday of January, the biggest feasts are usually for Santo Niño and is in commemoration of when the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan brought statue of the baby Jesus as a baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Raja Humabon of Cebu in 1521. This is one of the most important events in the religious history of the Philippines as it paved the way to the birth of Christianity in the country.

Fourteen groups are expected to compete and showcase their creativity with sensations of lively music and dance. These are:

- OFW Models and Talents in Taiwan

- LOM “Tribu ni Maria”

- Tribu Bibu

- OFW GME-Northern Taiwan

- Cordillera Organization in Taiwan

- PMBCT

- TIG-ATIMAN

- Divine Majesty Choir

- CIASI Sorority Dancers

- FMTA

- MQC Choir Tribu

- Sandigan Choir

- The Migrants

- Ushers Group

The parade route will begin at 13:30pm at St. Christopher’s church at Zhongshan N. Rd., towards Linsen N. Rd, NungAn St., and around Zhongshan N. Rd., to convene at 16:00pm at the Taipei Expo Park for the awarding ceremony.

This festival is organized in an effort to spread cheer for Filipinos in Taiwan and the Taiwanseduring these extraordinary times.

There are 141,878 Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan, making them the third-largest group of migrant workers in Taiwan after Indonesia and Vietnam, according to the most recent statistics published by the Ministry of Labor.

For more information visit the Manila Economic and Cultural Office Facebook page.