Papua New Guineawill hostthe 5th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture in 2014.
Cabinet approverd ofthe event was announced yesterday by Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Beka Kondra.
The NEC has earmarked over K50 million to prepare for the festival. The festival adds tothe list of major events to be held inthe country overthe next three years.
Next month,the country will hostthe Youth MinistersConference, and in 2015the 15th South Pacific Games.
Most ofthe festival activities will be held in Port Moresby, butthere are also plans for some exhibitions in selected provinces.
Minister Kondra saidthe festival preserved and protected our cultures inthe face of globalization. Somethingthe Melanesian Spearhead Group has long advocated.
The festival will be organized by a National Melanesian Arts and Culture Committee, and coordinated bythe National Cultural Commission. The National Events Ministry will also be involved in preparation for the festival.
Cedric Patjole, National EMTV News
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