Toare village, over the weekend, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Toare Mask Festival, an event deeply rooted in the cultural identity of the Gulf people. Held on July 12–13, this year’s celebration was especially significant with the official opening of the new Toare Cultural Centre and the announcement of the Toare Mask tradition’s nomination for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) List. Established in 2005, the Toare Mask Festival ran annually until 2014 before going on hiatus. In 2022, the National Cultural Commission (NCC), the Gulf Provincial Government, and TotalEnergies revived the festival, which has since picked up momentum, drawing…
Author: Aseneth WAIDE
Ten children were the lucky recipients of gift bags from Friends of POMGen (FOPG) when they paid a visit to the Paediatric Cardiac ward with essential supplies, dry goods and fun reading books. These little heroes had undergone surgery at the Port Moresby General Hospital, Cardiac Ward. The authorized charity and fundraising division of Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) organized and handed out gift bags to the children and their caregivers while they were admitted to the ward. The initiative, led by FOPG Manager Ms. Grace Roland, sought to provide a moment of happiness and solace to children receiving critical…
The New Guinea Islands (NGI) Regional Music Forum concludes today at the Kokopo Village Resort, East New Britain with strong calls for greater awareness, responsibility, and cultural respect in the local music industry. The two-day event, (15th – 16th July 2025) hosted by the Office of Censorship under the theme “Respect and Decency in PNG Music,” brought together musicians, producers, media, and government representatives to discuss the importance of Music Classification Guidelines aimed at guiding lyrical content. Minister for Community Development, Youth and Religion, Jason Peter, officially opened the forum on Tuesday. Among the key participants were stakeholders from the National Youth Development…
A group of bright young students from a small school nestled in the Sogeri Plateau departed Papua New Guinea (PNG) three days ago for a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Led by JICA Volunteer teacher Mr. Uchiyama Shota, the delegation from Sogeri Primary School includes six students and one local teacher who will spend 10 days in Japan, from 13 to 22 July 2025 – a trip facilitated through the Osaka Education Board. Located in Central Province, Sogeri Primary School serves the communities of Sogeri, Sirinumu, and the wider Koiari area. For years, the school had…
Known as the largest butterfly in the world, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera alexandrae) —is facing an uncertain future. This majestic insect boasts wings that stretch nearly a foot in length, but its beauty is no shield from the dangers threatening its existence. Habitat destruction, illegal trade, and climate change have left the Queen Alexandra Birdwing on the brink of extinction. Ahi Matue, a volunteer with the National Volunteer Service (NVS), is on a mission to accelerate the conservation of this unique species, with hopes of elevating its cause to a global stage. Ahi’s work, fronting the Dun Eco-Tourism…
Rumors circulating on social media of local artist Daniel Bilip’s death have been established as fake news by the artist’s elder sibling, Steven Bilip. A Facebook Post from a verified Page which was posted approximately 30 minutes ago, reached over a thousand shares on Facebook, causing many users to share condolence messages online. The poster, shared a photo of the artist, with the caption (incomplete): “Breaking News: Local Singer, Daniel Bilip, Passed On…” At this time, the immediate family is looking to confirm the source of this fake news publication. Steven Bilip added that (brother) Daniel is NOT deceased and…
The National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) and Digicel PNG have signed a contract agreement for the construction of a 40-metre self-supporting spectrum monitoring tower in Port Moresby. The tower will be built at NICTA’s headquarters in Hohola and will form an essential part of the Radio Spectrum Monitoring System (RMS), a major initiative designed to strengthen the authority’s capacity to detect and respond to radio frequency interferences in real time. During the signing ceremony, Kila Gulo-Vui, the Chief Executive Officer of NICTA, called the project essential for the regulatory body’s mission. “It’s an exciting project that will help…
Papua New Guinea has recently begun a countrywide consultation on the rights of persons with disabilities, beginning with a two-day regional workshop in Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province. The initiative, led by the Department for Community Development and Religion (DfCDR), is supported by the Australian Government and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Highlands consultation brought together participants from all seven provinces in the region, including provincial government officers, persons with disabilities, civil society organisations, churches, and development partners. The forum provided a platform for open dialogue, policy review, and data collection to…
Community advocacy organization ACT NOW! has criticized Prime Minister James Marape, after his address at the Green Climate Fund in Port Moresby city. He was reported to have stated that no new forestry licenses will be issued after 16th September, the 50th anniversary of PNG’s Independence. ACT NOW Campaign Manager, Eddie Tango, says, preventing new logging licenses is an unfruitful move with no practical impact. “Stopping new licenses will not stop the illegal logging that is destroying our forests and will not stop the human rights abuses by foreign logging companies and their tax evasion and money laundering.” “Existing logging licenses…
To enhance education and workforce readiness in the country, Theodist Limited has entered into a strategic partnership with IBS University (IBSU) and IBS College of TVET (IBSC) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The signing ceremony was held at Theodist Business Superstore headquarters in Port Moresby, with senior representatives from all three organizations in attendance. The partnership aims to provide students from IBSU and IBSC with on-the-job training opportunities, enabling them to gain valuable hands-on experience and apply their classroom knowledge in real-world environments. In return, IBS University will deliver specialized training workshops for Theodist staff, led by…