Written documentation of the evening’s activity

12th Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK-Europe (ICBE) Conference
ULB Campus du Solbosch, Bâtiment S, Salle Dupréel, Avenue Jeanne 44,
1050 Bruxelles, Belgium

29 May–1 June 2025

Written documentation of the evening’s activity
By Amy Balbawang

Day 1 of the 12th ICBE Conference, entitled “Welcome Night,” set a warm and inviting tone for all participants on Thursday, May 29, 2025. The afternoon began with the arrival and registration of participants. Everyone was greeted by Susan Kilakil and the organizing committee, who gave a tote bag and lanyard to each participant. The registration provided an opportunity for attendees to reconnect with old friends and meet new faces, all while enjoying some light refreshments. 

Dinner was served from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., giving everyone a chance to relax and fuel up for the evening’s activities. 

The official program kicked off at 8:00 p.m. at the ULB auditorium with Aurora Basali from Cordi-Bel as moderator. Cristobal Agnaonao from ChiCo (Children of the Cordillera, second-generation organization of Cordi-Bel) gave the opening remarks. Afterwards, the  gusi (rice wine jar) was opened to literally symbolize the formal opening of the 12th ICBE Conference. This was done by Peter Agnaonao, Lawrence Buyuccan, Ric Cuyob and Sherwin Khayad with the prayer to Apo Kabunyan by Lawrence, who invoked His blessing and guidance to all participants for the conference duration. 

A highlight of the evening was the turnover of responsibility for hosting the conference from Myra Colis, Founding Chairperson, MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands to Karen Palangchao, Internal Chairperson of Cordi-Bel, symbolizing unity and collaboration among the different Cordilleran organizations. 

Another highlight of the evening was honoring the ICBE pioneers from Cordi-Bel, Igorot UK, Igorot Organization Austria, Germany, BIBAK Switzerland and The Netherlands. (Unfortunately, the pioneers from BIBAK Switzerland were unable to attend.) Each of the pioneers shared their reflections. Afterwards, members of Cordi-Bel representing the second-generation Igorots, went to the stage and gave a gift to the ICBE pioneers. 

Marivonne Pumihic Cuyob and Cristobal Agnaonao produced a panoramic video presentation, “ICBE Through the Years.” It featured the photos taken from the first gathering of Igorot Cordillerans in Gent, Belgium in 2002 through the succeeding ICBE conferences in Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Italy and The Netherlands. This video provided an overview of ICBE’s history and significance. 

Marjorie Guidangen-Akistoy of Igorot Organization in Austria gave an update on the 15th Igorot International Consultation (IIC-15) to be held in Montebello, California, USA on July 24-26, 2026. Hosted by BIMAK Los Angeles, the event’s theme is “Igorot Sustainability: Connecting Culture & Community. The IIC is a biennial event of the Igorot Global Organization (IGO). During the evening, Adelina S. Wandag and Natividad S. Shiu of BIMAK Los Angeles, USA distributed flyers on the IIC-15.  

The night continued with group introductions, a lively house rules orientation by Ric Cuyob of Cordi-Bel, and a group photo session to capture the memories. The groups introduced were from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the USA.  

The evening wrapped up with a joyful session of singing Cordilleran hymns bringing everyone together in a spirit of camaraderie and celebration. Day 1 truly set the stage for a meaningful and memorable event, welcoming all kakailians with open arms and warm hearts. And in the mess hall, the pattong reverberated and warmed up the gongs until midnight. 

(Note: Ric Cuyob and Yvonne Kay-an Belen provided some details to the article.)