A celebration of the 153rd Birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal – June 26, 2014
WELCOME – LYDIA S. DE LA CRUZ
Good Evening; Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon, Members of the Board, our sponsors and patrons of the arts and friends of the Museo.
A birthday celebration is a very personal thing. In planning for Dr. Jose’s 153rd birthday I wanted to know what kind of a man he truly is and the idea of doing an in depth of his love affair with Leonor Rivera became my choice. I wanted proof that Leonor is truly the love of Rizal so I consulted Dr. Penelope Flores a professor in Education at the San Francisco State University and currently finishing her book about Dr. Jose Rizal’s travel with Viola. She accommodated me and provided me the material that I am looking for that was published at the La Solidaridad.
Much information is available about Dr. Jose Rizal and Leonor Rivera but for the benefit of some of our guests let me give you a brief bio of Leonor Rivera: