FEELING RIZAL HOVER 'IN THE AIR' TONIGHT IN HEIDELBERG

HEIDELBERG, Germany—They say history is not just something we read or study; it is something we walk through. All our movements and moments become, in a sense, historic (with the magnitude of their historicity being relative, of course). History inhabits the air of cities—most especially old, grizzled ones such as Heidelberg in Germany with the hum and thrum of its cobblestones, where we recently echoed the footfalls not only of countless German figures who have shaped history but also of one Dr. Jose Rizal.

- IGAN D'BAYAN

EIDELBERG, Germany - They say history is not just something we read or study; it is something we walk through. All our movements and moments become, in a sense, historic (with the magnitude of their historicity being relative, of course). History inhabits the air of cities—most especially old, grizzled ones such as Heidelberg in Germany with the hum and thrum of its cobblestones, where we recently echoed the footfalls not only of countless German figures who have shaped history but also of one Dr. Jose Rizal.

History shadowed our every step. It is fitting how the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) chose Heidelberg and Wilhelmsfeld, another place where our National Hero spent considerable time, to present its "In the Air" program, which not only punctuated our participation at the Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM) but also preludes our Guest of Honour (GoH) role next year in one of the most prestigious book fairs in the world.

"In the Air" was designed to engage participants in an immersive experience of the enduring ties between our country and the German nation. At its heart is the legacy of Jose Rizal, whose time in this part of Europe deeply influenced his writings, ideas, and activism. The program not only explores Rizal's duality of home and exile but also emphasizes his contribution to international solidarity in Southeast Asia. It further highlights the relevance of his journey to the contemporary Philippine diaspora. The four-day literary and cultural program fostered inspiring dialogues between Filipino and German authors, art talks, theatrical performances, as well as historical tours retracing Rizal's footsteps.

"It's time to let the world hear Rizal's voice again," said Senator Loren Legarda, the visionary and driving force behind the Philippines-as-GoH project, with the NCCA and the National Book Development Board (NBDB) as allied cultural agencies.