The meeting was aimed at reinforcing capacities among governmental decision-makers in the Pacific for developing measures and policies for the safeguarding of their intangible cultural heritage. Governmental representatives from all Pacific States have been invited to attend.

As a way to give a follow-up to the first Pacific meeting on the Convention(Nadi, Fiji, December 2007 ), the participants were informed about the latest developments on the Convention, which is fully operational since June 2008. Moreover, they were be informed about the procedures followed by Papua New Guinea to ratify the Convention as well as of other activities in the field of intangible heritage carried out by UNESCO in the Pacific in 2008.

The meeting was be followed by a Tongan national consultation meeting on the Convention on 5 December 2008.

Documents:

• Programme: English
• Speeches:
  • Welcome address by the Director of the UNESCO Apia Office, Dr Visesio Pongi: English
  • Keynote address by the Honourable Minister of Education, Women Affairs and Culture, Dr Tevita H. Palefau: English
  • Remarks by the Representative of the Government of Japan, Mr Akira Ouchi: English
• Presentations:
  • Ms Emily Waterman on the Lakalaka: English
  • Mr Paul Salmond Assistant Secretary of Literature and Indigenous Culture, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts, Canberra, Australia: English
• List of participants: English
• Report: English

Contact in Apia office: E. Waterman, UNESCO Apia