The Pacific Conference of Churches:
Wansolwara (One Ocean) Visit.
The Pacific Conference of Churches General-Secretary: Reverend Francois Pihaatae
Mr. Damiano Logaivau, Director of the Utei Production Company
Ms. Ateca Ravuvu, Director of the Moana Loa Dance Company
When: May 25-May 30 2016
On Saturday, May 28, 2016, 11am-12pm; US premiere of “The Re-Birth – the Call of our Mother to Renewal” there will be an screening of the stage performances. (Reviews of Solomon Island performances are attached)
Screening at the Electric Lodge in Venice see link:
http://garifunafilmfestival.com/film-schedule-2016/
We have an event round table meeting in Long Beach that we would like to invite you to attend on Thursday 11-2 at Gina M. Woodruff Gallery: 5555 East Stearns Street #203, Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 519-1614,
We would also like to organize something for a Sunday event that might further assist with connecting people and organizations with the Pacific Conference of Churches. Their bio, history and objectives follow:
The US West Coast tour is part of “The Re-Birth – the Call of our Mother to Renewal” Wansolwara Tour, a joint partnership of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Moana Nui Alliance, Catalyst Network of Communities, Free West Papua Campaign USA, Moana Loa Dance company based in Fiji, Utei Productions, Etokudub productions, Solomon Voices, and the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma. The main message of the tour is the “Call of our Mother to Renewal” in light of the things that are affecting our people in the region and the Diaspora. The tour began in the Solomon Islands with the performance of the “Re-Birth” production at various schools, church halls and community centers in January/February 2016.
The Wansolwara Movement emerged out of collaboration between the Pacific Conference of Churches, Civil Society and NGOs and performance and creative artists from Fiji and the Pacific region.
In 2014 the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG), Social Empowerment Education Program (Fiji) and the Bismarck Ramu Group (Papua New Guinea) collaborated to organise the Madang Wansolwara Dance “One ocean, one people”.
Wansolwara means “one ocean, one people”.
The gathering brought community-based organisations, activists, artists, academics and theologians together in order to reignite a movement of solidarity across the Pacific.
Objectives
The specific objectives of this tour to the US West Coast are:
Reconnect with the Pacific communities in Southern California area through:
sharing about the self-determination movements in the region, particularly the movement for West Papua’s political self-determination, Maohi Nui (French Polynesia), Rapa Nui and Kanaky (New Caledonia) and the need for the support of Pacific people.
sharing the rethinking initiatives that are happening in the region such as issues of political self-determination, development and trade, and climate change, and the churches’ renewal processes that is currently happening in the Pacific.
Meet with Pacific sons and daughters who are in the prisons with messages of Christian hope and identity, reconnection through stories of the islands;
Connect with Pacific next generation leadership development organizations;
Introduce ourselves with indigenous First Nations people
Tour content
The tour programme includes speaking engagements with the Pacific communities; participate in discussion forums on Pacific issues; and creating solidarity networks on pertinent, common issues.
• The history of the ecumenical movement in the Pacific – involvement in the self-determination and liberation movements – and the current renewal movement.
• The formation of the Wansolwara movement, its purpose and the initiatives that are currently being done by individuals and groups on West Papua, development and trade, climate change, self-determination of Maohi Nui, Guam, Rapa Nui and New Caledonia, and Wansolwara Dance 2 in Vanuatu in October 2016.
• The genesis of the Wansolwara Dance tour to the Solomon Islands, the showing of the video of the Solomon Islands performances, and the plan tours.
• Participate in the discussion forum on Pacific issues with specific focus on political self-determination, climate change, nuclear and indigenous issues, and network with other film makers and activists on future possibilities at the Garifuna film festival
• Prison visits to Pacific island populations.