Andrew Nihopara, chair of the Festival said in line with the theme 'Past Recollection; Future Connections', the festival aims to reminisce about our history and culture while at the same time connecting ourselves as one people in our diversity.
He also said apart from the usual participants of PNG, Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and hosts Solomon Islands, this year the festival extended invites beyond its borders to include the Torres Strait islands of Australia, Melanesian provinces of Indonesian and Timor Leste.
