On September 11, 2015, Consul (a.h.) Thelmo Cunanan Jr was the guest speaker of the University of the Philippines’ Euro-Filipino Understanding and Relations Organization for their Lecture Series on Independence Movements in Europe. The main goal of the event was to draw parallelisms between the movements in the Philippines and Europe and to measure progress through social movements.

In his lecture, Consul Cunanan discussed the history of Georgia, focusing on the different independence movements that led to the formation of the modern state. In particular, Consul Cunanan talked about the nationalist initiatives carried out during the Russian colonial era of the 19^th century, the early days of the Bolshevik occupation from 1921 – 1924, and the last days of the USSR. He also discussed the background of and current situation in the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, placing special emphasis on the Georgian government’s official policy vis-a-vis these controversial areas.

Other speakers include Professor Kritzman Caballero of the Ateneo de Manail University’s Russian Studies Program, Mr. Fernando Zapico of the Embassy of Spain, who presented the ongoing movements in Catalonia and the Basque country, and Mr. Herman Kraft of CSSP who tackled the break-up of Yugoslavia.