The Ladies Group at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh hosted the first ASEAN Women’s Circle (AWC) general meeting at the Philippine ambassador’s residence inside the Diplomatic Quarter on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by the spouses of the ambassadors of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Vietnam and senior female representatives from Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Jasmine Alferez, who is wife of Minister Counsellor Marshall Louis Alferez, led the meeting.

The AWC discussed plans for activities during the current year, including visits to renowned Saudi cultural sites like Dir’yah and Wadi Hanifa, and the holding of sports events.

The AWC also bade farewell to its members who ended their tour of duty in the Saudi capital this quarter.

The event was a good opportunity to promote Philippine culinary traditions as reflected by the all-Filipino menu topped by a demonstration on how to create the best halo-halo dessert.

The AWC is an informal group composed of ladies from different ASEAN diplomatic missions in the Saudi capital aimed at celebrating the diversity of Southeast Asian culture and oneness of ASEAN identity.

Apart from its participation in the AWC, the Philippine Embassy Ladies Group also strives to undertake activities that help promote Philippine culture to the wider public in Saudi Arabia.