Prime Minister James Marape recently opened FOCUS: 50 Years of PNG Through the Lens, a significant photographic exhibition celebrating five decades of Papua New Guinea’s national journey since independence.

The landmark event, hosted recently at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, showcases a remarkable collection of images by distinguished photographers Rocky Roe and Dinah Halstead, chronicling the country's evolution from its emergence as an independent nation in 1975 to the vibrant, diverse nation it is today.

In his address, Prime Minister Marape warmly welcomed the veteran photographers and expressed deep national gratitude for their lifelong contribution to documenting PNG's history.

“To Rocky and Diana, thank you for being back in Port Moresby. More importantly, thank you for sharing your work with our country.”

“We sincerely appreciate the last fifty years or so that you both have contributed to the nation by capturing its history.”

PM Marape emphasized that the exhibition is more than an art display; it's a visual record reflecting the soul and spirit of PNG.

He hoped visitors would appreciate the story of the PNG people, their landscapes, struggles, unity, and resilience, as seen through Roe and Halstead's eyes.

The Prime Minister reflected on PNG's historical context and its unique heritage including decolonization where PNG was "among the last—if not the very last—nations to be decolonized, joining the United Nations family of nations on October 10, 1975.

Cultural Diversity another unique heritage where Prime Minister Marape stated that in terms of linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity.

PNG is second to none on the face of the planet. He praised the nation’s founders for successfully fusing this incredible diversity into a single nationhood in 1975.

Biodiversity, another unique heritage, sees PNG’s natural richness is equally unmatched, housing between six and seven percent of the world’s biodiversity within its borders.

Its waters are home to the richest coral reefs on the planet, and its landscapes contain species found nowhere else.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Marape described Rocky Roe and Dinah Halstead as part of the “Somare generation,” the pioneers, artists, leaders, and citizens who were instrumental in building the nation in its formative years.

He stressed the enduring nature of their work stating that the legacy of their work will endure. It will contribute to the continuing discourse of the nation’s character moving forward.

To ensure the collection is accessible to future generations, Prime Minister Marape announced the government would explore ways to preserve and digitise the photographers’ work, aiming to store it in the national archives.

“I look forward to a time when our schoolchildren can access your work as part of our national heritage so that it becomes part of the perpetual story of our country.”

“Our first fifty years as seen through the lens of Diana and Rocky.”

The FOCUS exhibition is curated as part of the PNG@50 national reflection series, inviting visitors to journey through half a century of change, from the early years of nation-building to modern transformations.

In addition, the Prime Minister found it fitting that the exhibition coincides with the nation’s golden jubilee celebrations, noting that the story of Papua New Guinea is one of resilience, faith, and unity.

Rocky Roe and Dinah Halstead have worked in PNG since the early post-independence years, meticulously documenting everything from traditional life to political milestones and cultural change.

Their work now forms an integral part of the nation’s visual record.

The exhibition is jointly presented by PAWA TV, the Papua New Guinea@50 Secretariat, and APEC Haus.