Cultural preservation key

THE National Cultural Commission (NCC) aims to ensure Papua New Guinea’s diverse cultures were preserved by launching its five-year corporate plan and website in Port Moresby on Friday.
Launched by Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture Emil Tammur in Port Moresby, NCC acting executive director Steven Kilanda said this was the first time the commission would have a corporate plan and website since its establishment in 1994.
“It is an essential document, a chart of current and future activities that are essential for the funding requirements of the Government,” Kilanda said.
“Without it there won’t be justification for funding.
“Our mandate is to keep the heart of this country beating, that heart is our cultural heritage.
“This corporate plan captures programmes that form some of the core elements of the culture, heritage and the arts from PNG’s cultural resources.”
Kilanda said the programmes captured in the corporate plan were linked to Vision 2050, PNGSDP 2010-2030 and Medium Term Development Plan 2019-2020.
He said the MTDP did not state much about cultural diversity.
“It emphasises tourism development but neglects development of our tangible and intangible cultural assets; culture is a major and the most important standalone tourism product,” he said.
“We can capture this in the upcoming National Cultural policy that we intend to develop next year.”
Kilanda said some of the key programmes highlighted in the corporate plan covered thematic and international festivals.
Thematic festivals involve festivals with cultural content at the national or regional level while the international festivals included the Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture and Festival of Pacific Arts.