UPOU prepares for wood culture celebration in 2015.The UP Open University will be holding its International Wood Culture Celebration on 3-10 July 2015. The Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) is spearheading the activities involving a live-in carving workshop and an artists’ forum.
UPOU has been celebrating wood culture for three years now, in cooperation with the International Wood Culture Society (IWCS) and the UPOU Cultural Committee. The FMDS sees this initiative as an opportunity to suppport the preservation of cultural traditions and support community-based livelihoods through the exchange of ideas between woord carving communities.
The FMDS has organized two wood art competitions and exhibits for the wood carvers of Paete, Laguna and Betis, Pampanga, in cooperation with the International Wood Culture Society (IWCS). Both activities were coordinated by Dr. Consuelo dL. Habito, Chair of the Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management Program (MENRM) and Program Coordinator for the UPOU Wood Carving Competition.
As part of her involvement in wood culture, Associate Professor Habito attended the World Wood Day 2015 Celebration in Odunpazari, Eskisehir, Turkey held on 06-26 March 2015, where she presented “Bridging the Geographic Divide for Cross-Learning: The Experience among Woodcarvers in the Philippines.” The paper focused on the woodcarving communities in Luzon and the challenges they faced in pursuit of their craft. She also presented at the 2015 World Wood Day Symposium entitled “Wood and Humanity: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sustainable Development” held on 21-23 March 2015, with 40 other professionals from 26 countries. The symposium aimed to raise awareness of current issues for the crucial role of wood in a sustainable future around the world.
Mr. Danilo Cads from Paete, Laguna, First Prize winner of the In-the-Round Category of the UPOU Wood Carving Competition in 2013, represented the Philippines at the World Wood Day 2015 celebration in Turkey. He was one of the 24 carvers from 17 countries chosen to carve the WWD Wooden Arc which is now a permanent structure in Turkey. Each beam of the arc was carved with different faces of humanity embodying the event’s theme “Wood and Humanity.” (Anna Cañas-Llamas)
