THE Minister of Culture and Tourism Bartholomew Parapolo says he is impressed with the progress made by the MACFest National Organising Committee so far.
Parapolo made the remarks when he met the committee in Honiara Thursday last week, saying the Government is watching with keen interest in how the committee is progressing with preparations.
The culture minister has expressed confidence that the country will achieve its mission to host this important event.
“The Government is closely watching the preparatory process and I would like to encourage the Committee to continue with your good work so far,” he said.
The festival will run from July 1-10 and is programmed to coincide with the country’s 40th Anniversary of Independence.
The ten-day event will run from July 1-10 on the theme “Past Recollections; Future Connections” which is programmed to coincide with the country’s 40th Independence Anniversary.
Approximately 1500 delegates from the five MSG countries (Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia) will be attending the event. Also there will be invited delegates from the West Papua region of Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Torres Strait Islands of Australia.
Solomon Islands was the first MSG country to host the Melanesian Arts Festival in 1998. After this inaugural event, the festival has been held every four years on rotational basis in the five Melanesian Countries.
The Festival was conceived in 1995 by the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to promote and preserve Melanesian culture, tradition, values and contemporary arts in the region.
–SIG, MSG & NOC JOINT PRESS
