(L-R) Mr. Thomas Kahia, Sports Development Officer, Mr. Peter Eafeare, Deputy DG, Mr. Bola Noho, Senior Executive Officer, National Culture Commission, Mr. Simione Tuimalega, Arts and Cultural Officer, MSG Secretariat, Mr. John Susuve, Chair MSG Sports Committee and Mr. Bill Henry, Sport Development Officer MSG Secretariat.

06 September 2019

Discussions focused around preparations for the upcoming 7th Ministers of Culture and Arts Meeting (MCAM) to be held in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea later this year during the MSG Sports and Arts and Culture team’s consultations with the PNG National Cultural Commission (PNCC) last week while the team were in Papua New Guinea.

The 6th Ministers of Culture and Art Meeting was held following the successful staging of the 6th MACFEST (Melanesian Arts Festival) in Honiara in June 2018. The MCAM in Honiara decided on several important undertakings including the setup of Working Groups to develop concepts and guiding documents on a Miss Melanesian Pageant and a Melanesian Music Festival.

Apart from preparations for the next high-level Ministers of Culture and Arts Meeting, the PNG National Culture Commission provided the MSG Team some insight into successful cultural projects and programs currently coordinated by the Commission which could be replicated to encourage and strengthen cultural preservation in other MSG Member counties. These include on-going projects such as Culture and Education, Cultural mapping in the Provinces focusing on the preservation, safeguarding and promotion of Art and Culture in Papua New Guinea.

Recalling the 6th MACFEST in Honiara, DDG Eafeare said that of all the MSG events, the one event that managed to gather together more than 6,000 participants from all MSG Member countries into Honiara was the Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival (MACFEST), stressing the importance of Arts and Culture as a medium that distinguishes our true Identity as Melanesians from the rest of the world.

Deputy Director General Eafeare, also highlighted the successful staging of the 4th National Arts Festival in Malekula, Vanuatu as National initiatives that resonates the member country’s willingness and determination to safeguard and preserve their cultural heritage and identity.

DDG Eafeare and the team were thanked for their efforts in traveling to the Member States to consult with the different stakeholders on such important parts of our Melanesian lifestyles by Mr. Bola Noho, Senior Cultural Executive of the PNG National Cultural Commission. He concluded the meeting by acknowledging the leadership of MSG Director General Ambassador Amena Yauvoli and complimenting the DG for ensuring the MSG Secretariat implement these Consultations with the Member States.

The MSG Sports, Arts and Culture team are currently in Honiara on their final round of consultations before heading back to Port Vila to start compiling their conclusions.