For the first time in Pacific Games history, every national team participating in the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau is supported by a dedicated safeguarding officer. This proactive move, led by the Pacific Games Council, signals a regional shift toward prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of athletes and officials. Complementing this initiative is the Safe Games Team, a group of four regional safeguarding champions representing Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Palau. Leading the team is Roshika Deo, Team Up’s GEDSI and Safeguarding Officer, who is also the Games’ official Safeguarding Team Leader. In a key step toward stronger…
Author: Jordan VELA
A kaleidoscope of colours, rhythm, and reflection unfolded at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium yesterday 05th of July 2025 as Southern Region Day officially opened the month-long PNG Story celebrations in honour of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary. Under the uniting theme “One Drum, Many Echoes,” the Southern Region showcased the full strength of its cultural pride and creative expression, drawing crowds from across the city. Twelve singsing groups and six cultural string bands from the provinces of Central, Gulf, Western, Oro, and Milne Bay lit up the stadium grounds with traditional dances, chants, and musical storytelling as part of…
Sri Lankan pop sensation Yohani made her highly anticipated debut in Papua New Guinea this week, delivering not only an electrifying performance at the Musical Extravaganza at The Stanley Hotel & Suites last night, but also a heartfelt visit to Brown River that touched the lives of a community often overlooked. Best known for her viral hit “Manike Mage Hithe”, Yohani who is signed under India’s most subscribed YouTube label, T-Series was the headline act for the high-profile, charity-based concert organized by the Sri Lanka–Papua New Guinea Friendship Foundation (SLPNGFF). The event was the culmination of a week-long campaign aimed…
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 1,000 megaphones to the National Department of Health (NDoH) and Provincial Health Authorities to strengthen health education efforts in Papua New Guinea’s rural communities. At the official handover ceremony yesterday in Port Moresby, UNICEF Representative Dr Veera Mendonça highlighted the importance of the equipment in improving community outreach, particularly for maternal and child health. “The megaphones are intended to support efforts in strengthening community mobilization, increasing immunization coverage, and enhancing health promotion activities,” said Dr Mendonça. She emphasized that the devices would help deliver timely, accurate, and culturally appropriate health education to…
Veteran weightlifter Dika Toua headlined an unforgettable day for Team Papua New Guinea at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games on Friday, 4 July, as PNG’s athletes delivered a string of impressive performances across several sports with most notably in weightlifting, table tennis, va’a, and softball. WEIGHTLIFTING — 5 GOLD MEDALS Dika Toea, a legend in the sport, secured gold in her category, continuing her dominance on the regional stage and setting the tone for PNG’s medal haul. This led to 5 gold medals across both men’s and women’s weight classes. These performances solidified PNG’s reputation as a powerhouse in Pacific weightlifting.…
A group of university students from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUOT), known as the UNITECH Lasallians and Friends Association, have launched a school awareness program aimed at inspiring and guiding current secondary students in Port Moresby. The program began on Thursday, July 3rd, at La Salle Technical Secondary School, where Principal Br. Anthony welcomed the initiative with heartfelt words: “It is good seeing students leading students in the right path. Thank you for taking your time to come out—this is the Lasallian way.” The team continued their awareness drive today, at Jubilee Catholic Secondary School, bringing with…
For Carolyn Solomon, who is among one of twenty fourth-year science students from the Pacific Adventist University (PAU), the Trukai Industries’ SMART FARMER Program is more than just a training course because it is a lifeline for the future of her family and her village. Carolyn is among 93 participants in the country for this program’s fourth batch at PAU. The 20-week irrigated rice farming program combines two weeks of classroom theory with 18 weeks of practical training in participants’ own communities. “After graduating from the SMART FARMER Program, I will go back to my community and teach my family…
Papua New Guinea’s Women’s 3×3 Basketball Team has claimed its first tournament win at Stop 3 of the FIBA Conference 1 series in Palau, delivering a landmark result for PNG and the Pacific sporting community. Since the competition began on 1st July, the PNG women’s side has consistently placed second, and their persistence was rewarded on Day 3 when they secured top honors in the daily standings. The result is recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as a gold medal win for the day, earning the team valuable ranking points on the FIBA 3×3 global ladder. However, the win…
At 35 years old, most people are planning careers, raising families, and chasing dreams. But for Samuel Somne, life has taken a sudden and terrifying turn. Diagnosed with a brain tumour, the once soft-spoken yet hopeful graduate of Pacific Adventist University is now fighting for more than just stability, but he is fighting for his life. Samuel hails from Injua Village in Nipa, Southern Highlands Province. He is a son, a husband, and a father of two young boys aged three years and eight months with a quiet determination rooted in faith, family, and his community. “I never imagined this…
Trukai Industries Limited (TIL) is continuing its mission to strengthen food security and promote sustainable agriculture in Papua New Guinea (PNG) through its flagship initiative program the SMART FARMER Program, a hands-on training program preparing hundreds of local farmers in irrigated rice farming. Now in its fourth intake at Pacific Adventist University (PAU) outside Port Moresby city and fifth batch overall since the program’s launch in 2022, the SMART FARMER Program combines classroom theory and community-based fieldwork aimed at increasing national rice production and reducing reliance on imported rice. The 2025 January intake (Batch 3) saw 51 participants, while the…