BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
It is important that organizations like the Chinese Association and the PRC Embassy continue to promote traditional values that emphasize family ties during this Mid-Autumn Festival fair. These efforts help to forge and strengthen our society as we move forward together.
The remark was made by Minister for Education,Tozen Leokana at the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Fair at Chung Wah School on Sunday, Sept 15th.
Leokana highlighted the essence of family ties as one of the things that can be learnt from the Mid-Autumn Festival fair.
“In my perspective, we need to acknowledge and learn about the traditional values that emphasize family ties. Because by doing this, our efforts will contribute toward strengthening the fabrics of our society and country as we move forward together,”
The minister pointed out that there are important lessons that can be learnt from the fair.
He said by observing the fair where people and families come together we can maintain our social structure where family members continue to support one another as we are perceived to be doing.
“We need to learn from the essence of the fair in order to teach family faithfulness in our young generation, boys and girls who are not only learning their respective traditional values, but also who are exposed to different cultures including cultural norms and influences that create cultures of the youth that our old generation despise”,
Leokana expressed that the young generation of the country can also learn from the Chinese cultural values such as those associated with the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Fair.
“One of the key reasons for celebrating the fair is to showcase the support for one another in the community. For example, Chinese families support each other in their lives that is children supporting their parents emotionally and financially in old age”,
He added that the fair also reinforces family relationships in terms of how time is spent in which time is allocated for family, unity and reflection.
“Moreover, the Fair reinforces family relationships in terms of a time for family, unity, and reflection. As you will sense during the event, as you mingle with people this evening, the enduring appeal of this festival lies in its ability to connect people with their cultural perspective and heritage while also adapting to contemporary life here in Honiara and abroad”.
The program was attended by Minister for Culture and Tourism, Choylin Yim Douglas, Mr Ding Yonghua, the Charge d’Affaires of the Peoples Republic of China Embassy in Honiara, officials from the PRC Embassy as well as representatives, teachers, and parents of students of Chungu Wah School.
