Ateneo de Manila representatives pay courtesy call on the Philippine Ambassador to the Czech Republic

Representatives from the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) of Ateneo de Manila University, who attended the 27th International Leadership Association (ILA) Global Conference held on from 15 to 18 October 2025 in Prague, Czech Republic, concluded their conference participation with a courtesy visit to His Excellency Eduardo Martin R. Meñez, Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic. Ambassador Meñez, appointed to his post in 2023, warmly welcomed the delegation during their visit.

It was a lighthearted evening hosted by Ambassador Meñez, who shared stories about his stay in Prague. He highlighted the vibrant, though small, Filipino community there—around eighty (80) Filipinos in the labor force—whose active participation continues to sustain Filipino culture through various programs and activities across the city. The Ambassador also noted that Prague is home to several excellent universities, including Charles University, the Czech Technical University in Prague, and the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague. These institutions offer programs in English and welcome international students. He further emphasized that Prague’s universities are well regarded for fostering cultural integration and diversity within their campuses.

The courtesy visit was highlighted by an official photo opportunity with Ambassador Meñez, during which a book token from Ateneo de Manila University titled Filipino Leadership: Stories and Science (eds. M. Teng-Calleja, M.R. Hechanova, E. Franco, & E.D. Ilac) was presented to the Ambassador.

The Ateneo JGSOM delegation was composed of faculty members Dr. Emerald Jay D. Ilac, Dr. Enrico C. Osi and Dr. Helen U. Amante; Dr. Emmanuel G. Zara Jr., a Ph.D. Leadership Studies graduate; Ms. Jiamari Kawachi, a Master of Science in Sustainability Management graduate; and Mr. Huoge Zhao, a Ph.D. Leadership Studies student.