PH Embassy in UAE invites Filipino community to visit Juan Luna's Una Bulaqueña at Louvre Abu Dhabi
In an interview, His Excellency Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, encouraged the overseas Filipinos, especially the schoolchildren, to take advantage of this unique opportunity to experience a national treasure that celebrates Filipino heritage and artistry on the international stage.
'We are very glad that Una Bulaqueña is here. It is a product of the cooperation between our two countries and our pride in showing the genius of the Filipino,' the Ambassador said on the sidelines of the Philippine Independence Day celebration in Abu Dhabi.
'So it's here, and I invite all of you, we're inviting all the schoolchildren, please, through your schools, pumunta kayo. 'Yung mga administrator, bibigyan namin kayo ng ticket. 'Yung mga bata naman libre,' he added.
According to Louvre Abu Dhabi's official website, all visitors under 18 years old can enter free of charge.
'It's not just a matter of pride, but it's a real work of art that you should appreciate. It attaches you to our Philippine history and culture, and it's something that you can be proud of and probably even inspire you,' Ambassador Ver said.
He also highlighted the significance of Saadiyat Island as a global cultural hub, hosting not only the Louvre Abu Dhabi, but also the interfaith complex Abrahamic Family House, and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum.
Una Bulaqueña, an oil painting depicting a young woman from Bulacan dressed in traditional Filipino attire, will be exhibited until June 2026.
This collaboration marks the first direct partnership between Louvre Abu Dhabi and the National Museum of the Philippines, symbolizing the strengthening cultural ties between the UAE and the Philippines.
'I'm so proud that because of our cultural ties, we have a cultural agreement with the UAE. One of the fruits and the results of that is a loan of one of our national treasures in the very prestigious Louvre Abu Dhabi here in Saadiyat Island,' Ambassador Ver said.
Painted in 1895, Una Bulaqueña was declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2008. The artwork is a striking blend of European artistic techniques and Filipino identity during the Spanish colonial period.
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