City residents urged to take pride in our country, our culture and heritage
NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop has called on everyone in the capital city to take pride in our country, our cultural and our heritage as the country prepares to celebrate its 49th independence anniversary come Monday 16th of September, 2024.
He said this when addressing the management and staff of the National Capital District Commission during their Toana Day at City Hall – Annex on Friday 13th of September, 2024.
Governor Parkop said despite being a nation of a thousand tribe and 800 plus languages with so many cultures and traditions, Papua New Guinea is still united as one nation and one people.
He said as the municipal government it is important to showcase this in our city, to show the leadership of our city and the country that we are getting ready for this momentous occasion for our country.
Mr Parkop thanked the City Manager, Ravu Frank and the staff for hosting such an event, leading up to the country’s Independence Day.
He said many countries in the world have one culture, one cuisine, one dance and one song but unlike PNG, we have a diverse culture, adding each of our 22 provinces have a variety of unique culture and tradition which is interesting and exciting.
“That’s what puts us apart and that’s what we should be celebrating. That we are a nation that is unique and is on a journey from the past, to the present, going to the future,” he said, adding we can shape our future to become a very unique journey, an interesting and dynamic one.
“Yes, we have so many challenges but which country in the world don’t have challenges. Every were in the world there are so many challenges some of them are worse than ours, but we push ourselves to do better because we know we can absolutely do better,” he said.
He added that there is one time in the year, on 16th September that everyone must put all differences and complaints aside to celebrate One City, One People, One Future, One Papua New Guinea. Together united as one nation, resilient and strong still going forward.
Mr Frank added that passion, dignity and pride of been a Papua New Guinean cannot be expressed better than at this time of our 49 years of independence and going further in history.
“We have defied all odds, endured all sceptics and 49 years later, we remain strongly united as a nation in a strong and vibrant democracy.
He added: “Indeed our diversity has not been an obstacle to our progress as a nation as some perceived on 16th September, 1975.
We have proved beyond reasonable doubt that nothing can take away the strong bond between our people and in the land of a thousand tribes and eight hundred plus languages,” said Mr Frank.