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 Authority (NYDA), Intellectual Property Office, National Cultural Commission (NCC), provincial administrators, and artists including trailblazing reggae musician, Anslom Nakikus.
Chief Censor, Mr. Jim Abani restated that the initiative is not about silencing artists but about working together to establish clear appropriate standards that promote responsible creativity and composition.
“Music reflects who we are. Through this forum, we hope to guide artists in creating content that is not only entertaining but also respectful and culturally appropriate.”
The forum is part of the Censorship Office’s broader national outreach program, responding to concerns over the rise of offensive or inappropriate content in PNG music.
Sessions focused on:
- Raising awareness of censorship laws and classification standards,
- Encouraging music that upholds PNG’s social and cultural values,
- Promoting youth engagement and positive role models through music, and
- Fostering collaboration between artists, media, and policy makers.
The Office of Censorship hopes the outcomes of the forum will lead to more informed, respectful, and positive content in PNG’s evolving music landscape.