For Immediate Release: Tuesday, 21 June 2011 EST

Celebration of Pacific Culture Attracts Hundreds

Pacific Night, Washington D.C’s single largest annual event celebrating Pacific culture, takes place at the New Zealand Embassy, Wednesday 22 June. In recognition of the diverse cultures, peoples and cuisines of the Pacific, the largescale reception is a collaboration by Pacific embassies and missions which brings a slice of Pacific life to the capital city.

“Pacific Night seeks to encourage awareness, cooperation and understanding on a range of issues of mutual importance to the Pacific and the United States,” said Rt Hon Mike Moore, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States. “The reception is sure to be a great night out, whilst also providing an opportunity to highlight the challenges facing the Pacific region.”

In a first, prior to this year’s reception, a seminar will be held on “The Future of the Pacific”. Speakers include Hon Dr Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State, and Mr Chris Seed, New Zealand’s Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The seminar will be chaired by Ms. Meg Taylor, a former Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to the United States and the Compliance Advisor at the International Finance Corporate and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency will chair.

Held in collaboration with the East West Center, the Seminar will feature a range of Pacific voices and experienced policy-makers discussing issues facing the region. At the reception, Pacific-style food and drink will be served, and guests will be entertained by a range of cultural performers, including a didgeridoo player from Australia, and dancers from Samoa and Hawaii. The popular Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre group will also perform. Ambassador Moore, who will speak alongside Ambassador Jim McLay, New Zealand Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that the event was important for New Zealand as an Asia-Pacific nation, and as host of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, due to be held in September in Auckland.

Pacific Night is supported by Ambassadors and Representatives of Pacific Islands nations including from American Samoa, Australia, Guam, Hawaii, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

ENDS

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