Left to right: Mr Romulo Nayacalevu, Ms Brigid Phelan, Ms Magdalena Moreno Mujica, Ambassador Amena Yauvoli and Ms Meredith Okell

On Friday 21 September, Ms Magdalena Moreno Mujica, Executive Director of the International Federation of Arts Council and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ambassador Amena Yauvoli, Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). The signing took place at the IFACCA office in Sydney, Australia during a special visit by Ambassador Amena Yauvoli, Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and Romulo Nayacalevu, Program Manager for Governance and Legal Affairs of the MSG Secretariat.  

The MSG facilitates cooperation and dialogue between member countries and encourages members to implement policies to achieve sustained improvements in Melanesia. Through its Council of Arts and Culture the MSG promotes the diversity of Melanesian heritage and cultures and encourages policies that support a sustainable arts and culture sector.  

The MOU outlines our joint commitment to collaborate and share relevant information, inspired by our common objectives to promote the value of arts and culture, foster international collaboration and exchange, and share knowledge on policies that support arts and culture.  

The partnership follows Ms Moreno Mujica’s presentation to a meeting of Ministers of Culture and high officials at the meeting of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Culture and Arts Council in July 2018, at the invitation of IFACCA National Member the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Solomon Islands. 

We very much look forward to working with our colleagues at the MSG Secretariat to further advance arts and culture in Melanesia and the wider Pacific region.