The Coca Cola National Mask Festival together with the Kumul Consolidated Holdings Warwagira Festival officially opened on the 12th of July 2023 at the Kalabond Sports Field by ENB Governor, Michael Marum.
The festivals will take place on the 12th to the 16th of July 2023.
The opening ceremony was witnessed by several parties including the Festival Organizing Committee, Chairman of the event, Isaac Ilom, Sales and Commercial Director of Coca Cola PNG, Tim Solly, Acting Provincial Administrator, Levi Mano, several Kokopo business houses and the public.
Governor Marum welcomed everyone to the show and acknowledged the organizing committees and sponsors in making sure that this event started on a high note and urged the public to celebrate the event peacefully in the next few days as all the district will be coming in to perform their traditional dances.
“On behalf of the members of Rabaul, Kokopo, Gazelle, we would like to extend our warm welcome and thank you as they will join in the next few days.”
The governor further stated that though the event is held in a sports oval, they are looking at creating a separate venue for this event as the province must have its own show ground and that is the Provincial Government’s plan going forward.
“My only appeal to the public is that law and order is currently a big challenge in the province and we need to look after ourselves and the people that are coming in to visit our province and most importantly, show respect to our tourists and our visitors.”
The celebration started at dawn with the ‘Kinavai’ at the Omorong Beach front in Vunapope where people turned up in numbers to witness the event.
Governor Marum thanked Coca Cola as the main sponsor of the event and other sponsors with the hope of continuing the working collaboration moving forward.
In addition, Governor Marum also announced that next year the event will be celebrated in the Rabaul District which will go in line with the 30 years’ celebration of the twin volcanic eruption.
Meanwhile, Acting Provincial Administrator, Levi Mano added that they were not able to stage the festival for the last two years due to Covid19 however, is optimistic that this year’s festivals will be celebrated successfully.