The European Union (EU) has signed an agreement granting FJD $ 2 Million to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) for a project to strengthen the cultural sector in six Pacific Island countries. This SPC project is called "Structuring the Cultural Sector in the Pacific for Improved Human Development" and resulted from a call for proposals for projects under the theme "Investing in People" Thematic Programme.

Countries to benefit from the project include the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The project, spanning 30 months from when the agreement is signed, is divided into four components which include:

1) The development of cultural policy in six countries;

2) The promotion of cultural industries to the European Union and intra-ACP through the development of a marketing strategy bringing public, private sector and civil society organisations together;

3) The mapping of threatened cultural heritage sites and

4) Exchanges between Pacific and Caribbean museums.

At the signing ceremony held in Suva on Wednesday 11 December 2009, Head of the Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific, Ambassador Wiepke van der Goot said the EU was honoured to be supporting the SPC project because it would ultimately help to drive a sector which deserved tremendous support.

"The vast Pacific has substantial cultural wealth and diversity held by its many communities," Mr Van der Goot said. "The EU is proud to support the SPC in its efforts to fully mainstream culture and creativity as a fundamental driver of economic and social development."

The project emphasises the development of human potential in the cultural sector by maximising opportunities in an area in which the Pacific has an intrinsic but underutilised advantage. The EU contribution to this project is of €713,474 or the equivalent of about FJD $ 2 million which is close to 90 per cent of the total cost of the project.

For further information, contact:
STEFAN STANTEJSKY – Media Officer
Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific, Suva, Fiji
Tel: 3313-633; Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Cet e-mail est protégé contre les robots collecteurs de mails, votre navigateur doit accepter le Javascript pour le voir
or
Dr. ELISE HUFFER – Cultural Adviser
Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Suva, Fiji
Tel: 3370-733; Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it