Board members -Fiji Arts Council,
Director – Fiji Arts Council,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Government Representatives;
The Chief Executive Officer – Nausori Town Council,
Cultural Producers,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Mi’au Sa Bula Re and a very good morning to you all.
I am extremely pleased to be present here with you all this morning and we thank the Almighty for the gift of life and for this opportunity to meet at this important event.
I wish to acknowledge and pay my respects to the traditional owners of this land we stand on – the vanua.
I am indeed honoured to address you all, as we open the 2023 national craft exhibition. I come with warm greetings from His Excellency and well wishes to each one of you for these five days event. I also wish to re-affirm His Excellency the President’s commitment to the Art, culture and heritage sector in His role as Patron of the Fiji Arts Council.
Ladies and gentlemen, culture remains a greatly valued treasure and significant part of our identity. Culture is portrayed in many practices and forms which include our traditional arts and crafts. For many generations, arts and cultural heritage have provided income for ordinary Fijians. Our women artisans have been providing food, sending children to school, and meeting other family, church, and social obligations through the income received from the selling of their crafts. We have been very proud at the State House to be part of this venture, as we have continued to present as gifts to our visiting dignitaries some unique pieces by the women present today in the form of clay pots and hand-woven handbags. We also complement it with a hand drawn card that is always appreciated by the receiving dignitary. It remains one of the most important tools for economic empowerment and in the right environment it has the potential to create more jobs and economic stability for Fijian women and in turn strengthens our economy.
Our women and our families have been economically empowered daily now more than ever, to make more strategic life choices, exercise control and provide more opportunities especially when they face difficult economic situations. Economic empowerment further enables women to be financially independent with the ability and the strength to influence and advocate for issues that affect them and their families.
Ladies and gentlemen, Fiji is world renowned for its tourism sector and this is shown through the number of tourists arriving on our shores. Culture and creative industries have contributed immensely to the tourism sector. To the participants, the beautiful displays that you have showcased today from your respective communities is an indication of our growing and thriving culture and heritage as well as the culture and creative industries.
At this juncture, I wish to make a plea to the institutions responsible for creating policies and their respective implementation to protect our unique creativity and those that work in the culture, art, and heritage sector. We need to continue progressive dialogue focused on protection mechanisms for the culture and creative industry and implement them so that we are protecting this important sector within the wider scope of the tourism industry.
Ladies and gentlemen, creativity without sound business skills and knowledge can have negative outcomes. So, the success and establishment of one’s business as a cultural producer needs proper and sound business knowledge and skills to add value to the enterprise. I wish to encourage and urge all stakeholders to take the further step of registering your businesses with the relevant authorities, so you can benefit from what the government and the market have to offer when it comes to growing Small and Medium-Size Enterprises. At the same time, it allows the opportunity of diversifying into newer, more creative ways of conducting business that leads to expansion of small businesses.
I acknowledge all our artists from far and near who are part of this exhibition. There are government initiatives and private sector sponsorship that continue to support the culture and heritage sector such as the gathering that you see here today. To all of you present this morning, your very presence is appreciated, as it shows your love, passion, interest, and dedication to Fijian art and culture and its ability to cope and build resilience over decades.
Ladies and gentlemen, at this time allow me to encourage all institutions present here today to contribute and continue the conversation of promoting intellectual property and to implement relevant actions on how artist intellectual property is safeguarded and made a priority given the ever-increasing use of digital platforms.
As we endeavour into the commercialization of our cultural products and services, I would also encourage women groups, Soqosoqo vaka Marama, provincial offices, relevant government ministries, youth groups and stakeholders to have the proper platforms that will allow the transmission of traditional knowledge. Transmission of traditional knowledge is now more crucial than ever as we move forward.
I wish to acknowledge the Fiji Arts Council for leading the organization of this 5 days event. Events of this nature, demonstrate the high level of commitment by the government and donor agencies to support cultural producers, and our emerging artists in a way that helps strengthen and create livelihoods.
In addition, I also wish to pay my respects to our women artisans for the role they continue to play over the years in the transmission of traditional wisdom, knowledge, and skills in our society.
Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that the exposure gained in these 5 days will empower our artisans to make creative choices and provide new opportunities to explore new contemporary art forms they can diversify into and how to sustain and continue to improve the quality of artwork they produce and offer for sale.
With those few words, it gives me great pleasure to launch the 2023 National Craft Exhibition. I wish everyone, especially our cultural producers only the very best for these five-days event, as well as in their future undertakings.
Vinaka vakalevu, and may God bless us all.