The full team have arrived for the Solomon Islands Choral festival. In the country to help the Pasifika Events and Solomon Voices Choir host are the musical Maestro Igelese Ete, Fiji Youth Activist Peter Waqavonovono and Fiji Recording Artist, Eroni (the Heart) Dina.
All persons are members of the Pasifika Voices choir, an artist in Residency program under the Oceania Center for Arts Culture and Pacific Studies at the University of the South Pacific.
With the theme ‘Powerful Beyond Measure’ the event is uniting schools from around Honiara and is set to send powerful ripples throughout the nation.
Recently contracted into Pasifika Events Company is also a former member of Pasifika Voices Choir, Jolame Delana, who will be staying back in the Solomon Islands to continue to organize events focused on empowering and effecting positive change.
“Words have power, and the songs we are singing for this festival have power. Power to change mindsets and heal the Nation. In this spirit we have embarked on a new social campaign called #WORDSofPOWER , this is a campaign focused on placing positive words and the importance of positive affirmations in building youth resiliency in nations across the Pacific” said Peter Waqavonovono, a youth empowerment speaker and the admin assistant for Pasifika Voices Choir. “In many societies around the Pacific, we find a disconnected youth struggling to find a meaningful voice within their communities and affect policy change.
“This is why it is very easy for young people to have a low self-esteem when it comes to community participation and personal decision making. Young people will be holding up signs all over the Country and will be talking about words they wish they could hear often, words that will build their resiliency. Words that are the foundations of the Solomon Islands. Words that are in the songs they will be singing,” concluded Waqavonovono
Vasati Sosene Tengemoana, one of the key organizer’s of the event, adds that she hopes more young people will join the event.
“There is space still available for young people to join. So the Festival is still open to students. The next rehearsal is today (Monday 30th) at the Museum Auditorium at 2pm. And we asking all young people who want to be part of this great move of change to come down. You can call 7785989 for more information regarding student participation”.
Detail about tickets and venue will be made available today.
