BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
THE 6th Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival 2018 are believed to foster another pathway for future connection as reflected in the theme – “Past Recollection, Future Connections”, Acting Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said.
The 6th MACFest officially ended on Tuesday this week followed by a handover of the MSG flag to Vanuatu as the next host country.
This year’s event is one of the Solomon Islands’ biggest occasions held after RAMSI’s departure last year in June, thus it contributes towards restoring peace and strengthening the country’s culture including MSG members.
With the festival’s objectives and theme, “Past Recollection, Future Connections”, Mr Sogavare said it has been achieved.
In his keynote address he said, “I believe we have achieved the objective of the 6th MACFest period.”
He said over the past 10 days participants have exchanged ideas, skills and knowledge, had the opportunity to showcase products and traded and even realise economic opportunities.
“I believe you fostered and establish partnership for future connections and I’m certain that the festival help us reconnected, revive renew of commitments of our people and cultures in Melanesia,” he said.
He congratulates and thanked the MSG member countries and other countries beyond the region saying they help contributing in achieving the objectives of the festival to ensure that all embrace and believe according to the festival theme.
“Helping one another is spirits of you are brother’s keeper is an intense Melanesian value which we must continue to uphold because it sets us apart as a people in the world.
“We are wantoks and nothing must and should be allow to change that.”
Sogavare also encourages MSG members that we are powerful and control more than 90 percent of the population and resources in the region outside Australia and New Zealand.
Vanuatu will host the seventh MACFest in 2022.
