Frankfurt, 20 September 2025 – Read Your Roots gathered the Filipino-German community at Brotfabrik for an afternoon of dialogue, storytelling, and performance, shining a spotlight on diaspora experiences as part of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour program at the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBM) 2025.
Hosted by Filipino-Austrian actress and media personality Cindy Kurleto, the program featured a panel discussion on identity and growing up with two cultures. Panelists included writer Mo Schneyder, entrepreneur Nelson Enriquez, and actress and influencer Helga Krapf, all of whom shared personal perspectives on navigating life between Germany and the Philippines. Their reflections underscored the experiences of the Filipino-German diaspora and its role in shaping contemporary narratives of identity and belonging.
The discussion was followed by a performance from Filipino-Austrian singer and entertainer Vincent Bueno, who wrapped up the event mixing comedy, music, and spontaneous karaoke — a finale that mirrored the vibrancy of the diaspora it celebrated.
Co-organized with second-generation Filipino-German groups Halo-Halo and the podcast Henerasyon 2.0, Read Your Roots was designed as a platform for children of the diaspora in Germany to step into the spotlight and reflect on the complexities of growing up between two cultures. The program underscored the distinctiveness of the Filipino diaspora in Germany while celebrating contemporary Filipino talent.
The Land in Sicht bookstore had a popup at Brotfabrik to complement the program with a selection of Filipino novels translated to German, while author Saskia Zimmermann was also on hand with her award-winning cookbook Sarap Sarap – Cooking Filipino Style, alongside bilingual children’s literature and travel-inspired titles. Filipino books translated into German were raffled off during the program, with copies donated by Dante Verlag, Unionsverlag, and Angkor Verlag. END