THE week-long celebration of Manila’s 440th founding anniversary was kicked off yesterday by Mayor Alfredo S. Lim with the opening of a symbolic exhibition of Filipino-Muslim arts in City Hall.

Lim also announced that the city government is in the process of making arrangements to put up a permanent exhibit of art works by Muslim- Filipino and international Muslim artists.

Dubbed “Sining Kalilang,” the exhibit, which was launched at the Bulwagan Gat Antonio J. Villegas, comes as a fitting tribute to the contributions of Muslim Filipinos in the progress and gains the city has achieved over the years.

Lim’s chief of staff and media bureau chief Ric de Guzman, who represented the mayor in the launch, said remembering Rajah Sulayman, who ruled Manila before the coming of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, is the theme for the 440th Araw ng Maynila celebrations in the entire city. 

Rajah Sulayman had close ties with the sultans of Brunei and had his kingdom in the site where Intramuros now stands.

“Mayor Lim sees art as a unifying element for Christian and Muslim Filipinos.  When an art work becomes part of our mental images and of our experiences, then it becomes a unifying element,” De Guzman said.

According to him, the works of King Abdul Aziz University Professor, Architect Edris Tamano, and former National Poverty Commissioner Bai-Labi Jamila Abbass Tamano, daughter of the late Senator Mamintal Tamano, and other Muslim artists are on exhibit at the Rodriguez Hall in Manila City Hall until the whole day today.

Also gracing yesterday’s affair were H.E. Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehan of the Embassy of Iran, H.E. Waleed Alkandari of the Embassy of Kuwait, Consul General Michael Schimmel of the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Mohammed Ali Abosharh of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Deputy Chief of Mission Sritomo Wirodihardjo of the Embassy of Indonesia, the artist -- Princess Bai-Labi Jamila Abbass Tamano, Datu Adman Tamano -- representing his father Architect Edris Tamano, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) NCR Director Ruben L. Guiling, NCMF Secretary Bai Omera D. Lucman, and Optical Media Board Chairman Ronnie Ricketts.

Lim is inviting the public to view the exhibit which also features Muslim crafts like malongs, pandas and mamandiangs, among others.