Senator Loren Legarda underscored the vital role of the Philippine Studies Program in deepening international connections and promoting the country’s voice abroad through cultural diplomacy.Speaking at the launch of a book on the program, Legarda stressed that diplomacy begins not in embassies but in spaces of learning.鈥淒iplomacy does not begin in embassies, but in libraries, classrooms, and simple acts of curiosity,鈥 she said.鈥淎nd it taught me this: no matter how vast the world may seem, we shape one another. Our narratives intersect, and in these crossings, we discover deeper ways of speaking and listening,鈥 she added.Known for championing culture and education, Legarda shared that this belief continues to drive her efforts to promote storytelling as a powerful tool for international relations.鈥淚n a world so fractured by uncertainty, we are reminded鈥攏ow more than ever鈥攖hat the strongest bridges are built through understanding.鈥滶stablished in 2017 in collaboration with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, the Philippine Studies Program has expanded to 24 universities worldwide. It supports scholarly research on topics such as the medicinal potential of Philippine plants, climate-driven labor migration, and indigenous languages.鈥淭his is soft power at its most strategic: Scholarly, reciprocal, and deeply human. The Filipino experience standing on the world stage鈥攐n our own terms鈥攕parking curiosity about our heritage in ways that ripple across sectors: from tourism and research partnerships to stronger bilateral and multilateral ties,鈥 Legarda said.She emphasized that the program provides a model for nations asserting identity while engaging in global discourse.鈥淲hat the Philippine Studies Program models is a way forward鈥攆or all of us鈥攖o see ourselves not only as inheritors of identity, but as contributors to global thought and co-authors of a shared future.鈥漈he Philippines is also set to be the Guest of Honour at this year鈥檚 Frankfurt Book Fair鈥攖he second Southeast Asian nation to be given the distinction.