In 2010, the Institute of Education (IOE) at the University of the South Pacific (USP) was awarded a contract to carry out a project on cultural mapping, planning and policy development. The project, facilitated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), is funded by the European Union and is being conducted in five other countries in the region.

The participation of Tonga in this regional initiative was at the request of the Tonga Ministry of Education, Women Affairs and Culture (MEWAC). As such, the cultural mapping, planning and policy (CMPP) process for Tonga is a collaboration between MEWAC and the IOE.

The key output of the project is the development of a national cultural policy for Tonga. It is expected that the project will be completed by March 2011. To carry out the project, a team was assembled of staff from MEWAC’s Cultural Unit – Mr Siosiua Kanongata‛a Lotaki, Mr Koliniasi Fuko and Hon. Tu‛ilokamana Tuita.

Technical assistance was provided by Dr Seu‛ula Johansson Fua from IOE. The team reports to SPC’s Human Development Programme Adviser, Culture, Elise Huffer, through the Director of Education for Tonga at the time, Mr Viliami Fukofuka.

A detailed terms of reference (TOR) for the project is included in Appendix 1. This report presents findings from the cultural mapping process of the project. The purpose of the report is to assist the National Task Force on Cultural Planning and Policy in developing a cultural plan and policy for Tonga.

A list of the proposed members of the task force and their TOR are included in appendices 2 and 3.

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