3rd Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival - today's events

The 3rd Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival has begun in the morning with the opening of the Symposium, from 9am to 12pm (Fiji time) at the Holiday Inn in Suva. The main topic of discussion was "Governance for Cultural Institutions" and the leading speaker was Professor Helu Konai Thaman. The symposium was opened by the vice president of Fiji, His Excellency Ratu Jone Madraiwiwi.

From 1pm to 3pm, there was a workshop based on the theme "Being and Becoming: Research and Writing Our Own Stories in Melanesia". That was also held at the Holiday Inn in Suva.

However the official opening ceremony is still set for tonight at 7pm at the Post Fiji Stadium and the event will be opened by the President of Fiji, His Excellency Ratu Josefa Iloilo. This is the official event to welcome the delegations of the 5 participating melanesian countries including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu. It is expected to feature a mass choir, brass bands of the Fiji Military Forces, Fiji Police, Salvation Army, Fiji Youth Department and the Fiji Institute of Technology.

The culture and arts festival venues will open for the public as of tomorrow and all the activities will be free of charge.