Global South Initiative: Filipina UNESCO Artist For Peace Cecile Guidote-Alvarez x Afro-Asian Musician Xander Pratt Fashion Editorial

In an exclusive fashion editorial produced by AsiaTV for STYLISH MAGAZINE via Style Visionary Network, UNESCO Artist for Peace Cecile Guidote-Alvarez shares her thoughts on embracing the global south identity, adapting to the transition of the old, traditional media into the world of digitization, and how art can influence international peace.

Manila, Philippines — During the celebration of International Peace Day last September 21, Cecile Guidote-Alvarez was with the AsiaTV and Stylish Magazine production team. She was styled with a modernized Moro attire in magenta color, as inspired by the fashion of the Tausug community in the south of the Philippines — posing for the camera in a shoot conceptualized by Pan-African musician Xander Pratt. (The term Afro-Asian is being used by AsiaTV to describe Pratt’s contemporary art  which has been recognized by CNN Africa as Top 10 Avante Garde, while he was recently awarded  by Gawad Pilipino as Ambassador of Peace Culture and Tourism, having been honored by Manubu tribe as the first Afro-Asian Dato.)

As artists both inspired by inner soul calling, both Cecile Alvarez and Xander Pratt believe in the power of embracing their global south identity — be it through fashion, arts and messaging. The global south identity is an advocacy being pushed by AsiaTV, founded by peace activist and this photo shoot’s producer, Regine Guevara, and supported by UNESCO.

Global South is the term broadly used to describe the territories of the people of color — like Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. 

A strong influence in the media and arts scene with a career dating back to the 1960s, Guidote-Alvarez has seen it all: the power of art in encapsulating the ills and victories of society, as well as the influence of the media in transforming the trajectories of human beings.

A modern multi-disciplinary artist, Xander wants to captivate the nostalgia of the traditional media in his art concept for the shoot: with old newspapers flying across the room as part of the art direction of the layout. It represents the almost slow farewell of print media, radio and television, with the prevalence of digital news websites, vlogs, and video and radio streaming platforms.

Tita Cecile, who is a media visionary, TV show writer and producer as well as a radio host for many decades, truly understands the slow transition of all media platforms. Xander envisions to cement the memory of newspapers and history books in the Philippines that saw the power of Tita Cecile’s storytelling in television and radio — her art and passion that continue to transform cultural narratives into long-lasting legacy of peace to this day through her radio show “Radyo Balintataw” on DZRH.

“So for 31 years, you’ve been doing Radyo Balintataw?” I asked, as this shoot’s storyteller tried to verify facts about the profile of this media personality and UNESCO artist during the fashion editorial interview.

“Yeah, 31 years on radio. But Balintataw TV started in 1967, and it was stopped when martial law started.”

After her exile in the Philippines in the ’70s, she went to New York to continue her theater production and work with the United Nations.

“Then when I came back in 1989 from the US, three years after the EDSA Revolution in 1986 that ended the martial law dictatorship, I founded and produced Balintataw TV. I revived it basically since we were first airing that in 1967, then in 1989 onward, CNN used it as a soap opera for social change. We did a 13-episode theme for TV,” Alvarez said.

“But now, Radyo Balintataw is a global broadcast already too, and we are also streamed online. So,we are heard here and also abroad. So it maintains its connectivity. But we have to, I think, to be more proactive on social media, and mentor new media platforms, that is why I support this cause by AsiaTV and Stylish Magazine and its campaign, The Self-Love Series. Pero ang Radyo Balintataw, pinapasok na ngayon sa YouTube rin yung broadcast, so it is not just on radio anymore. We are also transitioning into a digital media platform, as we mentor on the side the new media such as AsiaTV Studios, Stylish Magazine and Stylish TV being streamed on iWanttTFC.”

Stylish Magazine‘s The Self-Love Series is an online campaign produced by Style Visionary Network in the midst of pandemic to uplift the morale of the people at the time. Stylish Magazine via Style Visionary Network is an online publication and pandemic baby created to respond to the needs of the world audience while everyone was dealing with the life and death stress caused by COVID-19 virus. You may watch the story of Stylish Magazine in the premiere episode of its television series format Stylish TV, which you may stream on iWantTFC.

The transition of media as a whole always responds and mirrors the needs of the times, and Stylish Magazine and Stylish TV are a true testament to that. The Self-Love Series, an online campaign conceptualized and produced by the storyteller of this feature story way back in 2021, first featured Stylish Magazine cover girls such as Miss Universe PH 2020 1st RU Bella Ysmael to talk about mental health and coping with the pressure of social media, which you may watch on Facebook Live here. 

Roots of the History

In 1967, Tita Cecile founded the Philippine Educational Theater Association, or PETA, which to this day is still the most prestigious and impactful theater organization in the country. Tita envisioned a Philippine theater that would engage in the development of people and society. In 1971, PETA became the UNESCO-ITI (or International Theater Institute) Center in the Philippines. 

Alvarez is now leading the Social Change Network of UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute (ITI). ITI has become the natural progression of PETA. Among her next generation mentees, Zimbabwe Theatre Academy’s Gertrude Munhamo, supports UNESCO’s secretariat AsiaTV-AfricaTV-LatinTV —  also owned by Guevara. AsiaTV was launched with the support of UNESCO in Bangkok in 2020. Soon AsiaTV supported by UNESCO-ITI would be in in Rabat, Morocco, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Alvarez is now working closely with Zimbabwean Munhamo of Zimbabwe Theatre Academy— who resonates well with Zimbabwe-born artist Xander. Together, they are supporting a creative media team of Filipino and Zimbabwean youth to the NEAP festival in Brazil in November 2023, with the showcase of a theater play production directed by Pratt. 

During the dark phase of the Philippine history in the ’70s and ’80s, this female PETA founder was forced to go on political exile because of the martial law in 1972. The dictatorship was first declared on September 21 of that year by president Ferdinand Marcos, which would start some bloody chaos on the streets between the authorities and activists. Oddly enough, September 21 has been celebrated as the International Peace Day globally since 1981, as established by the United Nations (UN). Tita Cecile, a UNESCO Artist for Peace in every sense of the word, is a true testament how some small seeds of art can turn into strong messages that advocate the fighting for and protecting of peace, that later developed into the fruit of legacy of peace and change in the Philippines.

“You are the founding artistic director of PETA. Can you tell us more about your days when you were part of the founding group? And what was the vision of your group at that time?” I further asked during our interview.

Tita Cecile answered,”PETA really was meant as a national theater movement to begin to put a premium or value on the right to culture of every citizen; to be able to feel a pride of habitat, heritage, history, language, and to use it to better the situation and the condition of our people.” 

“So, it should be able to draw meaning and power from the lives of our people. Hindi lang yung gumagaya, pero paano natin ilalarawan ang mga pangangailangan, ang mga kagalingan, at ang ating mga pangarap. It should be a force for education and for solidarity to work together for peaceful coexistence. Basta, anong makakabuti, pa’no mo masasalamin ang tama at yung mali. And that should be the job of the arts. It should be a mirror, it should be uh, let’s say a memory bank…”

“Alam mo kung ano ang dapat mong pahalagahan, yung mga kagalingan ng ating mga ninuno. There is wisdom and knowledge and tradition that must be affecting you, helping you, empowering you.”

“There is also a need for the arts to be not just a mirror, but an armor for our social ills. It should have respect for tradition, but also should innovate according to the needs and changes of life. It should be a conscience-changer, dapat dito mo naaalala kung ano ang tama at mali. It should be a lighthouse to guide you para kung alam mo yung mga mali maayos mo, para mas maganda yung kinabukasan ng mga kabataan at may kapayapaan.”

“So, the idea is, art is a right culture, and hindi lang para mayayaman kung hindi para sa lahat, because it can empower you. When you are in despair or in trouble, it can heal your trauma. Art can let you envision a better life. It’s important for the strength of spirit to overcome any adversity, katakot-takot ang  mga challenges natin ngayon, diba? May COVID,mga giyera, climate catastrophes. So, you need art as a spine of support. It is a continuing lifelong learning,” Alvarez added. “Art can transform our social conditions, and it can influence peace among people,” the UNESCO Artist for Peace shared. 

“I think the war right now is also more psychologically and mentally because of the toxicity of the social media. What do you think about that?” I asked.

“You’re right. There’s so much fake news. I myself fell victim to some fake news from social media posts in the past. But the only way is to be committed to the truth, and that’s our role of us in the media. That is how we protect peace, by finding and reporting the truth. You counter what is false with truth. And truth should prevail. And it will if, if you are committed to the truth,” she answered.

“Responsible journalism is really about protecting peace then, especially with the online wars on social media these days, right?” I asked.

“Yes, difference in opinion now can lead to character assassination on social media. You can suffer from online persecution, as some have this mindset of cruelty, like you are my enemy and I have to get rid of you,” she said.

“You know, but there should always be the bridging, the trying to have a platform for dialogue and understanding and beginning to relate to each other to still have understanding and peace,” Tita Cecile added.

“What would be the solution for those people who easily believe fake news, conspiracy theories and then fight someone on the comment section?” I further asked.

Tita Cecile responded, “I believe there must be a lifelong learning, not just in the curriculum in the schools. It’s important that education starts at home. Parents should share the wisdom to their kids, and teach them that when we disagree, let’s talk about the issue. Let’s see the different points of views, and let’s converge, or let’s try to reconcile, or let’s try to discern. So you can help maintain peace outside of the home, or when interacting with others on the social media,”

“The character assassination can really  try to ruin someone. They just post, you know, a supposedly harmless post, but actually really damaging. It’s like a bullet hitting you. You know, being responsible in your messaging on social media, it should be a curriculum in school already. There should be the power to think, to analyze, to discern  — there should be a participatory training. So children know how to maintain peaceful interactions online without harming strangers’ mental wellness.”

Tita Cecile also strongly believes that real peace comes from within, and staying true to one’s identity. That truth in that identity of the people can be mirrored by art.

Having a rich trove of knowledge from her experiences in life as a media personality and art visionary, Alvarez has seen the contributions of artists in mirroring the status of societies and improving the condition of the people, which aligns to the UNESCO’s global movement – ResiliArt. It is a global effort that supports artists and ensures access to culture for all — which recently brought forth Afro-Asia connectivity from Morocco where Pratt came from, to the Philippines, home of Alvarez and Guavara.

A staunch women empowerment advocate, Cecile is pushing the proponent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of United Nation (UN). One of the goals within 10 years mentioned in the Sustainable Development Goals of United Nation (UN) focuses on uplifting the women. Tita Cecile is a living and active witness to the rise of the women of the Global South, a milestone that she wants to be captured in Pratt’s creative direction of the shoot.

“Red roses in the second layout symbolizes the feminine power behind activist movements, which is both nurturing and creative,” Pratt explained further about the theme of the second layout of the fashion editorial shoot.

Finding Peace in One’s Identity

The Philippines is part of the Global South advocacy movement by AsiaTV, an advocacy production company supported by UNESCO. AsiaTV has since expanded into a film production group that has been producing the music videos of XP.

Pratt is an African artist who also advocates the Global South identity because Africa, is of course, a part of the Global South. His creative direction exuded in the photo shoot sends a strong message.

Personally, I wanted to learn from Tita Cecile how we can further support the cause, asking, “How would you explain to the Filipino youth right now why it is important to maintain their Filipino cultural identity, that is actually part of the global south identity globally? Especially since they are so active on social media and very much influenced by the Hollywood, Western mindset? So what will be your main message to the Filipino youth regarding that?” 

“That is why we are trying to send a strong message that indigenous lives matter, indigenous peoples’ wisdom and heritage are essential as a wellspring of inspiration, in order to move you to new routes of contemporary expression, but still rooted or anchored in the wealth of our indigenous cultural diversity. So this fashion direction we have today that advocates indigenous fashion as aligned with Pratt is very much sending that message of embracing our identity.”

“Hindi naman pwedeng all the states of the United States eh alam mo, pero hindi mo alam ang 110 ethnic Filipino communities sa bansa mo. So, yun ang problema, again it is a failure of education. There are 110 state universities in the Philippines right now, and they can be the house of cultural banking for 110 indigenous communities para simultaneous for reservoir. And then we put it all together as an encyclopedia of indigenous peoples in the Philippines,” Tita Cecile said of her further vision.

Stylish Magazine‘s The Self-Love Series is a campaign that truly advocates the sense of self-love in people, which we at Stylish believe is about finding peace in your identity from within yourself. You may achieve that sense of self through introspection, awareness and embracing your identity – be it through your race, location in the world, style, beauty, music, art choices, beliefs and core values. 

During the radio guesting of AsiaTV’s Regine Guevara and yours truly from Stylish Magazine on Radyo Balintataw on DZRH to talk about self-love and women empowerment, Tita Cecile expressed how it is important to support The Self-Love Series to uplift women, advocate finding one’s identity, document creativity, and support the new generation of media and creatives. 

“Art has the magic to bring the people together no matter what background, race or location, and our efforts at AsiaTV in producing music videos, theater plays and even paintings through Xander send that message of staying true to our own global identity,” Regine shared with Stylish.

“Genuine peace comes from knowing who you are from within, from learning more about your race, and acknowledging the power of your own space and impact in maintaining peace in your own life or in the society — be it in your everyday interactions or social media conversations,” the UNESCO Artist for Peace concluded. “It is really passing on the baton to the new age of media.”

Erratum: The first version of this article mentioned Getrude Munhamo as vice president of an organization in Zimbabwe. Munhamo is from Zimbabwe Theatre Academy. This article has been updated October 10, 2023.

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You may watch our previous digital sessions of The Self-Love Series, featuring Stylish Magazine cover girls Sunshine Cruz and Angelina Cruz here, and Miss Universe Philippines 2020 first-runner up Bella Ysmael here. While you may watch and stream our television series Stylish TV on iWantTFC here.

The Self-Love Series is going beyond the virtual world as we are gearing to launch the series of physical panel discussion sessions, starting at the Bloga Creator Hub in Mandaluyong City this October, in celebration of the United Nations Month 2023, as presented by the Xander Pratt fashion atelier, AsiaTV Studios and Stylish Magazine.

The Self-Love Series by Stylish Magazine aims to start important conversations beyond self-love in an effort to understand deeper the identity of Filipinas, Asians and Global South Women to follow through with the efforts of AsiaTV– which are both supported by UNESCO Artist for Peace by Cecil Guidote-Alvarez. We will keep you posted. This article has been updated on October 15, 2023.