This weekend’s Meganesia concert is set to light up Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby city with a world-class lineup of more than 150 performers from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Indigenous Australia. Here’s your official list of artists confirmed to perform on Saturday, June 28, from 3PM to 9:30PM. ON THE MAIN PANEL Airileke (Artistic Director) Yirrmal – Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Kaiit – Neo-soul artist from Australia Mereani – Powerful Pacific vocalis INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS Sam Roem Yosua Roem Bula David Albert (Abang) David Michael Chan Troy Schrieber Phil Bywater Richard Mogu Deline Briscoe Mea Ingram PNG ARTISTS TO…
Author: Jordan VELA
With music, movement and messages of unity, the India Day 2025 celebration in Port Moresby became more than just a cultural festival, it signaled a growing role for diplomacy driven by people, not just politics. Held in tandem with International Yoga Day, the gathering served as a soft-power showcase of India-PNG relations, while also wrapping up the “Asia and Pacific Story” series of a months-long prelude to Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence anniversary in September. National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, who has long championed regional integration, used the occasion to highlight the importance of strengthening ties not only between India…
At a recent press briefing in Port Moresby, Dr Harsha Baranage, Secretary of the Sri Lanka PNG Friendship Foundation, offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to restore eyesight to a blind patient—and why this type of surgery is one of the most complex in modern medicine. Corneas, the transparent outer layer of the eye, must be harvested from donors in Sri Lanka within four hours of death, then preserved using special storage fluids and chemicals, and kept at low temperatures—ideally −80°C—before being flown into Papua New Guinea. “The eye must arrive viable, intact, and matched to a…
Most Papua New Guineans have never heard of the Sri Lanka Papua New Guinea Friendship Foundation (SLPNGFF), Yet, for over three decades, this community-led initiative has been quietly restoring sight to citizens suffering from corneal blindness—completely free of charge. The Foundation works closely with Sri Lanka’s Eye Donation Society, where corneas are donated voluntarily through a deeply rooted cultural practice of dana—a Buddhist principle of selfless giving. The tissues are harvested within hours of death, preserved in cold storage, and transported to Papua New Guinea in medically sealed conditions. Once in Port Moresby, the Centre for Eye Health takes over.…
Sri Lankan music will take centre stage in Port Moresby city in July, but the concert goes far beyond entertainment. The Sri Lanka Papua New Guinea Friendship Foundation (SLPNGFF) has announced a major Musical Extravaganza featuring Sri Lankan pop star Yohani, Infinity Band, and PNG’s own Rhee Gial, with all proceeds going directly to fund corneal transplant surgeries for visually impaired citizens. Set for Saturday, 5th July 2025, the event is more than a cultural showcase, it’s an act of cross-border compassion. “This is a night for vision! literally and metaphorically,” said Anthony Amerasinghe, President of SLPNGFF. “Every ticket will…
The Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) has concluded its 2025 Annual General Assembly (AGA), held on Sunday, June 22, at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby city. The meeting brought together representatives from national sporting federations and key stakeholders to review the organization’s 2024 activities. During the assembly, members approved both the 2024 Annual Report and the audited financial statements. PNGOC Secretary-General Desmond Kaviagu reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to transparency and accountability, saying that the assembly aligned with constitutional obligations and reflected good governance practices. “The AGA ensures we remain answerable to our members and partners for how funds…
With only two rounds left in the 2025 Port Moresby Corporate Volleyball Competition (POMCVC), the pressure is mounting for teams across all nine divisions to secure a spot in the Top 8 before the finals. The competition has reached a critical point. For some teams, Round 14 is their last chance to make a comeback. For others, it’s about staying consistent and locking in a stronger finals seeding. In the Men’s Premier Division, seventh-placed Brian Bell faces fourth-placed NWTL1 in a key matchup that could decide their finals fate. CPL1, currently sitting third, goes up against Koroboro, who are looking…
The PNG Lewas capped off their PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational campaign with a commanding 94-run victory over Samoa Women in the final match of the tournament at Amini Park on Saturday afternoon. Batting first, the Lewas posted an imposing 138 for 6 in 20 overs, led by an anchor innings from Naoani Vare, who scored 30 off 43 balls. She was well supported by Melanie Ani (19), Henao Thomas (20) and a quick-fire 18 from Holland Doriga. Contributions from across the top and middle order helped PNG build pressure, while 18 extras added to Samoa’s difficulties. In response, Samoa’s innings…
The final day of the inaugural PacificAus Women’s Cricket Invitational opened with a commanding performance by the Australian Indigenous Women’s team, who defeated Vanuatu Women by six wickets in the first of two matches at 10 AM today at the Amini Park, Port Moresby. After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Australia’s attack tore through Vanuatu’s batting order, dismissing them for just 60 runs in 16.1 overs. Ella Hayward starred with a brilliant spell of 4 wickets for 10 runs, backed up by Maddison Spence, who claimed 3 for 10. The disciplined bowling effort saw Vanuatu lose wickets in clusters,…
More than 1,600 explosive remnants of war have been identified across East New Britain province as part of Operation Render Safe 2025 which is a month-long multinational planning mission led by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in partnership with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). The mission, which focused on communities in the Rabaul, Kokopo, and Gazelle districts, involved close collaboration with local residents to pinpoint areas contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO). Historical records, satellite imagery, and community insights played a key role in locating hazardous remnants from past conflicts. ADF Contingent Commander Major Joseph Gurung, said that their…