PAPUA New Guinea’s participation at the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawaii, USA, has been rated the best and exceptional due to its diverse arts and cultural heritage. Head of the PNG delegation and the executive director of National Cultural Commission, Steven Kilanda, expressed great satisfaction to the team he led to the Pacific festival and thanked all the participants and officials for representing the country with great pride and dignity, promoting and marketing the country at the world stage. PNG was among 27 other Pacific Island nations that celebrated the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Honolulu, Hawaii, from the June 6 – 16.
This festival is celebrated every four years around the Pacific region. It is the world’s largest showcase of the arts and cultural heritage of the indigenous islanders of the vast Pacific Ocean. “The feedbacks and responses have been very pleasant and encouraging.
I can not say thank you enough. We have delivered exceptionally well and I am so proud to be a Papua New Guinean,” an ecstatic Kilanda said. He said: “I thank all our participants including Simbu, Morobe, Central and Hela cultural groups that have participated at the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
“I also thank music and band members led by Anslom Nakikus, individual artists, performing arts troupe members, carvers, filmmaker, Spencer, fashion show team leader, Anna Amos, craft and bilum makers. “T.