Media Release

October 9, 2008

Australia welcomes Pacific participants to cultural and religious festival

This week, the Awakening the Nations festival in Bundaberg welcomes a large number of Pacific Islanders to celebrate cultural and religious links around the region. The festival is being hosted in the Queensland town of Bundaberg and runs until Sunday 12 October.

“The festival demonstrates the great depth of friendliness between Australia and its neighbours in the Pacific,” Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Duncan Kerr said.

“Australia has a long history of engagement not only through its government to government links, but also those of its religious and other civil society institutions. It is refreshing to see these links continuing, reinforcing our own commitment as a government to a relationship with the Pacific based on mutual respect and mutual responsibility.

“On behalf of the Australian Government, I offer my warmest welcome to all participants and trust they have a wonderful time throughout the week.”

Participants at the festival have come from a number of Pacific Island countries including Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

“I specifically wish to welcome the Solomon Islands Governor General, His Excellency Sir Nathaniel Waena who is leading a group of around 170 Solomon Islanders to the festival in Bundaberg,” Mr Kerr said.

“I welcome all the participants to the festival and hope that the festival continues to build on the shared cultural heritage and strengthens people to people ties around the Pacific region.”

Media inquiries: Mr Kerr's office - 02 6277 4991 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555

[an error occurred while processing this directive]