Hon Fe’ao Vakata the Minister for Internal Affairs is representing Tonga at the 27^th Council of Pacific Arts and Third Pacific Ministers of Culture meetings held this week in Guam.

Both meetings takes place during the 12^th Festival of Pacific Arts currently underway in Guam.

The biennial council meeting which began yesterday, 24 May, attended by representatives from 25 countries and territories, carried out a mid-term review of the region’s 10-year Pacific’s Regional Cultural Strategy Investing in Pacific Cultures 2010-2020.

The strategy sets the standards to safeguard and promote the region’s cultural aspirations by providing policy guidance for the development of the cultural sector and the promotion of Pacific cultures.

The biennial council meeting also discussed other agendas including Hawaii’s preparation for the 13^th Festival of Arts in 2020, submissions to host the festival in 2024 and the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and a panel discussion on cultural development in the region, hosted by the Guam Government and SPC.

Today, 25 May the Pacific Ministers for Culture meeting began.

Letuala Elisara, SPC Director for Social Development Program said recommendations from the council meeting would be presented for deliberation at the Minister’s meeting.

“Its one example of the important events taking place in Guam over the next fortnight highlighting how the Festival has become a platform for dialogue and decision making on important cultural development issues, facing the region and the global community.”

The Pacific countries include Australia, American Samoa, Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Easter Island, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Palau, PNG, Pitcairn Island, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu with Wallis and Futuna attending.