NUV and the 7th Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival National Organising Committee of the Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta signed an agreement to co-organize the 2023 Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival (MACFEST) Symposium in Port-Vila.
Chairman of the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival National Organising Committee, Chief Willie Grey Plasua, and the NUV’s Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Jean-Pierre Nirua, confirmed their agreement and commitment to co-organise the traditional Symposium known to the members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to be linked to the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival.
This collaboration further strengthens the already strong bonds that exist between the two institutions, that have in 2021 co-organized the symposium on Education, Culture and Identity.
The two institutions are also collaborating on research projects.
The 7th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture Symposium aims to bring together artists, academics, researchers, advocates, policy makers to discuss and share knowledge, practices, ideas, and experiences in Melanesian arts.
The nature and substance of expressions received already project the symposium to be a very promising event within the overall celebrations of the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival.
The program of the Symposium will be released in coming weeks.
As the National University of the Melanesian Spearhead Group and 2023 MACFEST host country, the NUV takes pride in organising this Symposium and looks forward to welcoming delegates and participants for an exciting event of paper presentations, discussion and exchanges of knowledge sharing in the wider region of Melanesia.
The university encourages its students and Vanuatu youth to engage in discussing thematic issues relevant to the country and dare to propose solutions to on-going challenges in various forms including innovative ways.
The bilingual status of the university is one of its unique strengths as well as its commitment to promote cultural affirmation, connectedness and diversity.
Mr. Jean-Pierre Nirua, the NUV’s Vice-Chancellor, said “The National University of Vanuatu takes pride in organising this symposium to commemorate and celebrate the expressions of arts and cultures of Melanesia during its 2023 Melanesian Spearhead Group Festival of Arts and Culture in Port-Vila.
In order for the National University of Vanuatu to gain recognition both locally and internationally, we are committed to engage in research and publication. We aim to be of assistance to participants of this symposium, the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Vanuatu by publishing the proceedings of this Symposium so that efforts invested in it serve as a reference for future activities aimed at consolidating our Melanesia for our future generations”.
The development of the NUV is aligned with the Vanuatu People’s Plan and the Vanuatu Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan.
The focus of education and training under the NUV and its associated institutions is based on the priorities of the country’s National Human Resource Development Plan 2020- 2030 (NHRDP).