In anticipation of the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture scheduled for 2024, President Surangel Whipps Jr. established a committee to plan and organize Palau’s participation in the 2024 FestPac.
The theme for the 13th FestPAC is “Ho’oulu Lahui: Regenerating Oceania,” according to the Directive, “represents region-wide revival and revitalization movement of cultural and traditional knowledge.”
“The FestPAC is a significant global platform in strengthening the Pacific Islanders’ cultural identities, promoting people’s capability to express ideas, concepts, ideals and values in different human dimensions and revealing different cultural knowledge and practices to strengthen peace and celebrate diversity,” states the Directive.
Indigenous Pacific Islanders from all Pacific island nations, states and territories come to celebrate and promote Pacific arts and culture.
The event, held every four years, was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic and was recently reconfirmed to be held in Hawaii from June 6 to 16, 2024, with more than 2,500 participants from 26 nations expected to participate.
Palau was the first Micronesian country to host the 9th FestPAC from July 22 to 31, 2004.