[Photo: MOLLYN NAKABEA]
The Fiji Museum, in collaboration with UNESCO, celebrated International Museum Day under the theme “Museums Uniting a Divided World.”
Chief Executive Armando Lowe says the day serves as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to protect cultural heritage and traditions.
He says museums are key to strengthening cultural understanding in diverse societies like Fiji.
“As a multicultural nation rich in tradition, language and shared history, museums serve as important spaces where communities can connect together, gather and learn from one another, celebrate diversity and strengthen understanding.”
UNESCO Regional Director Sara Garcia de Ugarte says museums also have the capacity to strengthen climate resilience.
“Museums in the Pacific are also custodians of heritage that face an increasing vulnerability. Climate change, cyclones, flooding, earthquakes and other hazards are increasingly threatening the actions of cultural institutions. Strengthening museums today, therefore, also means strengthening their resilience.”
Permanent Secretary for Multi-Ethnic Affairs Vinesh Kumar is urging Fijians to protect the nation’s cultural heritage for future generations.
“Let us affirm our collective responsibility to preserve and protect our heritage, not only for ourselves, but for the future generations who will look to these stories to understand who they are and where they come from, which in turn will provide strength and meaning for the future.”
The celebration featured educational exhibitions, traditional demonstrations, and performances promoting cultural preservation and sustainability.
