Dumaguete City was illuminated by hundreds of glowing lanterns as Foundation University held Dal-uy 2026: A Festival of Hope on September 11, 2026, at Rizal Boulevard.
Bringing together students, faculty, families, and members of the community, the annual celebration transformed the city's waterfront into a sea of lights. Each lantern carried a personal message, dream, prayer, or aspiration, turning the evening into a meaningful expression of hope, unity, and shared dreams.
A Festival Where Dreams Take Flight
Dal-uy is one of Foundation University's most cherished traditions, centered on the symbolic floating of lanterns bearing the hopes and aspirations of participants. The tradition has been held for years and has grown into a major community gathering in Dumaguete. Foundation University describes Dal-uy as a festival that brings the university community together through glowing lanterns and the dreams written on them. For the 2026 celebration, the tradition once again reached the waterfront of Rizal Boulevard, giving participants a beautiful setting to reflect on the things they hope to achieve in the future.
Rizal Boulevard Shines With Lanterns
As night fell, the lanterns became the highlight of the celebration, creating a warm glow across the waters of Dumaguete. Photos from the Dumaguete City Tourism Office showed participants carefully carrying their illuminated lanterns, with handwritten messages visible on some of them. From wishes for personal success to hopes for future achievements, each lantern represented a different story. Together, however, they created one powerful image: a community choosing to believe in a brighter tomorrow.
More Than Just a Beautiful Celebration
While the floating lanterns create a memorable visual spectacle, Dal-uy carries a deeper meaning for the Foundation University community. The festival has traditionally invited participants to write their hopes, dreams, prayers, resolutions, and aspirations on lanterns before sending them out onto the water. In previous celebrations, the event has brought thousands of Foundation University students, faculty, staff, and alumni together.
This makes Dal-uy more than a university activity. It becomes a shared moment where people can pause, reflect on their journeys, and look forward to what lies ahead.
