The Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum enhances cultural cooperation with the Philippines

Abu Dhabi, June 17 / WAM / His Excellency Alfonso Ferdinand, Ambassador of the Philippine Republic to the UAE, expressed his great pride and gratitude for displaying one of the greatest Filipino national treasures of the oil painting “A woman from Pollacan” by the Philippine artist Juan Luna at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, as part of the fifty -year anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He thanked the UAE for providing this historical opportunity, considering that it is a great moment of pride for the Philippines to display one of their most important national treasures in one of the most prominent international museums.
He said in a statement to the Emirates News Agency “WAM” on the sidelines of the unveiling ceremony of the painting, that this icon is not just a painting but a picture of a woman from the Philippine city of Pollacan, which was drawn by one of the symbols of the national struggle, which was an artist and a militant who used his artistic talent to express the struggle of his people in the face of colonialism.
He pointed to the importance of bilateral relations between the two countries that reflect the depth of friendship between the Philippines and the UAE and extend for more than 50 years, stressing that these relations open new horizons of cooperation in multiple areas that include culture renewable energy, artificial intelligence and digital economy.
His Excellency called on the audience to visit the exhibition and see this masterpiece; Where the painting is presented alongside artistic masterpieces from all over the world, which represents an opportunity to discover a new dimension of the Philippines and its rich culture.

The ambassador concluded by saying: “We are proud of our presence in an open and tolerant country such as the Emirates and we look towards more inspiring partnerships between the two countries.”

For his part, Giorl M. Legasby, Deputy Director General of the National Museum of the Philippines for his pride in displaying the “Una Palkinia” painting by Juan Luna at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, stressing that this moment represents a historical station for Filipino art and an opportunity to enhance the cultural dialogue between the Philippines and the UAE.
He told “WAM” that the width of the painting in the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a message that the Philippines have always been part of the global cultural dialogues and have contributions worthy of appreciation.
He pointed out that this cooperation was not possible without the continuous support from the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, the National Committee for Culture and Arts, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in addition to the approval of His Excellency Ferdinand Marcus Junior, President of the Philippines, which reflects the commitment of the Philippines to enhance international cultural exchange.
He said that the Louvre Abu Dhabi is the ideal platform for displaying this painting in front of an international audience, noting that this cooperation confirms the ability of art to build bridges of understanding and cultural exchange between peoples.
For his part, Manuel Rabatiyeh, Director of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, confirmed that the show of “Ona Palkinia” by the famous Philippine artist Juan Luna is a historical moment in the museum’s march and represents a culmination of fruitful cultural cooperation between the National Museum of the Philippines and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first global museum in the Arab world.
He said that this cooperation reflects the commitment of the Louvre Abu Dhabi to narrate the story of the world through various arts and cultures, adding: “We are very proud of what we have achieved with our partners with the National Museum of the Philippines and we invite everyone to discover this masterpiece exposed until June 2026.”

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