Partnership promotes country’s diverse culture

PAPUA New Guinea’s traditional culture will be promoted through a new partnership between the National Cultural Commission (NCC) and the University of Papua New Guinea.
The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding last week to collaborate on cultural activities undertaken by both entities in their respective jurisdictions. NCC acting executive director Steven Enamb Kilanda said his commission was responsible for the preservation and promotion of cultural assets and heritage but added that it was also everyone’s duty to value and preserve PNG culture.
Under the MoU, the institutions would collect and script cultural information and undertake audio and video recordings of cultural materials with a view of furthering the understanding and respect for PNG’s cultural heritage.
Other activities that would be promoted in the partnership include: empirical research to draw vital communal cultural information and material; initiate and maintain regular printing and publication of cultural information and materials; joint research activities, programmes, seminars and conferences; a cultural data bank in a particular place for easy access and regular meetings to exchange ideas.
He said the commission was happy to welcome UPNG’s language department and the Linguistic Society of PNG (LSP) for the partnership.