The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt organized a visit of Calamba City Mayor Rosseller Rizal to Wilhelmsfeld and Heidelberg on 17 October 2025, on the sidelines of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour participation at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair.
The initiative formed part of the Consulate’s continuing efforts to advance Philippine cultural diplomacy in southern Germany, especially by deepening the historic connection between Calamba City and Wilhelmsfeld, where Dr. José Rizal completed his novel Noli Me Tangere in 1886. The Book Fair’s Philippines as Guest of Honour theme, “The imagination peoples the air,” was drawn from Noli Me Tangere, making this an especially fitting moment to renew partnerships built upon Rizal’s enduring legacy of imagination, learning, and intercultural dialogue.
On 13 October 2025, Mayor Rizal called on Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos, where discussions centered on fostering collaboration among Calamba, Wilhelmsfeld, and Heidelberg in the fields of culture, and people-to-people exchange. The Consulate briefed Mayor Rizal on ongoing efforts to promote the Rizal connection through local partnerships and commemorative activities.
On 17 October 2025, Post arranged a visit to Wilhelmsfeld, where Mayor Rizal was received by Mayor Dr. Tobias Dangel and members of the Wilhelmsfeld Municipal Council. The visit reaffirmed the Sister-City Agreement between Calamba and Wilhelmsfeld, signed in 2011, and served as a symbolic celebration of the historical and cultural links between the Philippines and Germany through Dr. Rizal’s life and works. The delegation also visited Heidelberg, where Dr. Rizal undertook medical studies.
Accompanied by Calamba City government officials Ms. Maolen Karla M. Boholano, Head of the City’s Cultural Affairs, Tourism, and Sports Development Department, and Mr. James Aligui, Mayor Rizal’s visit provided a timely opportunity to highlight the Philippines’ Guest of Honour participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair and to reaffirm the country’s deep appreciation for the German places that shaped Dr. José Rizal’s intellectual growth and world view. END