Manus Islanders observe provincial day in ENB

THE Manus community living in East New Britain had a double celebration last Friday in Kokopo to honour their provincial day and the National Repentance Day.
Event coordinator Leonnie Kaleh said it was the first time for the Manus community to commemorate the provincial day in Kokopo as it was only commemorated at the National Capital District annually.
“We are from all walks of life and proud of our identity,” Kaleh said.
“This day is special, being a Christian country means that we the people of Papua New Guinea pledge ourselves united as one nation.
“It means we pay homage to our cultural heritage; the source of our strength. God created us so wonderfully and blessed us with a culture so unique and diverse.”
She said Manus students from the University of Natural Resource and Environment, Gaulim Teachers College, Kokopo Business College, Sonoma Adventist College and other institutions in ENB had collaborated to host the provincial day.
“We hope that this is the start to celebrating our provincial day in Kokopo every year as part of networking for development purposes.”
Kaleh said the occasion was vital for the Manus community in ENB, as it gave families space and time to learn their identity.
It also gave them the chance to reflect and discuss on how best they could contribute towards the developments of Manus.