American Historical Expert Promotes Historical Literacy for PNG Tourism

Dr Brent Glass, former Director of the National Museum of American History and senior advisor to the Smithsonian Institute, made a special visit to the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) in September 2024 and discussed the importance of promoting historical literacy and public memory in Papua New Guinea.

Dr Glass is a prominent figure in the global museum and history community and was accompanied by the American Embassy’s Acting Public Affairs Officer, Claudia Borevina, and Public Engagement Assistant, Mathias Post.

During his visit, Dr Glass highlighted the significance of PNG’s war history as a powerful attraction for international tourists. He believes PNG has the potential to become a key destination for historical tourism.

Papua New Guinea’s war history is compelling and holds global interest, particularly in the context of World War II. Developing historical sites that are accessible to tourists will not only preserve this history but also create opportunities for international travellers to engage deeply with it.

Dr Glass emphasised the need for the PNG government and TPA to consider their historical aspect as a major attraction for international tourists. ‘PNG is a destination with opportunities to promote history education, historical literacy, and public memory on a global scale’, said Dr Glass.

TPA’S CEO, Eric Mossman Uvovo welcomed Dr Glass and the team from the American Embassy and expressed his gratitude for their valuable insights and support in promoting historical awareness in PNG.

This article draws from:

https://www.postcourier.com.pg/american-historical-expert-promotes-historical-literacy-for-png-tourism/

The PNG National Library and Archives

This has been closed for more than 12 months due to unpaid creditors exceeding K11 million. Much of the collection in the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery is under threat due to basic recurring maintenance such as the air conditioning system in the building not working. This was aired on Australia’s ABC News, Monday, 6 January 2025.

Pacific Museums and Art Galleries in a Battle for Survival 

Wild weather, funding shortfalls resulting in a lack of air conditioning, and staffing limitations are putting thousands of valuable artefacts in Pacific museums at risk.

Rare artefacts, artworks, stuffed animals and archeological objects, some dating back hundreds and thousands of years, are a concern.

As to the question of repatriation, Kim McKay, Director of the Australian Museum, also explains that whilst repatriation is important it is a difficult, lengthy and costly process. With repatriation of ancestral remains it is important to know that the identity and provenance are correct. Museums need to ensure that the wrong set of remains are not repatriated to a community.

See an interview featuring the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery, and PNGAA and Sydney Wantoks Steven Gagau, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj-hN_o6ivQ

(ABC News, 6 January 2025)

Kutubu Oil & LNG Projects

In February 2025 landowners from 139 Incorporated Land Groups of the Kutubu oil and LNG projects submitted a petition to the PNG government threatening to shut down the mine if existing benefit-sharing arrangements established in the 1990s are changed as per plans announced by the PNG government.

Gasmata Monument

John Reeves posted on the PNGAA FB, page 11, February 2025, news of PNG’s PM in West New Britain officiating at the launching of a World War II monument in the Gasmata Local Level Government area.

The monument is one of four erected in the Gasmata area to remember Royal Australian Air Force personnel from three plane wrecks who lost their lives in this area during the war. The monuments were funded with the support of Dr Andrew Forrest, nephew of one of the RAAF airmen who went missing in action in the Gasmata area.

The Forrest family’s Minderoo Foundation has been funding the search for Andrew Forrest’s uncle’s plane for several years with the support of the National Museum and Arts Gallery, but sadly it has not yet been located. The story aired on NBCTV National News on 08 February 2025.

Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty

The PNG Weekend National Newspaper of 27–29 September, page 4, had an article about the PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko reaffirming at the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty highlighting PNG’s commitment to build a resilient and nuclear-free Pacific community. The Treaty was ratified on 13 March 2024 in Rarotonga.

Land Access & Compensation Agreement

On 26 November 2024 over 300 traditional landowners from Panguna in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville signed a Land Access and Compensation Agreement (LACA) with Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), marking a significant milestone in the project’s exploration phase.

https://bougainvillenews.com/

Bank Governor Appointed

According to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Elizabeth Genia who was appointed governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea in January 2023, despite fighting in court to block a police investigation into suspected money laundering. She has not been charged.

Paul Barker, who heads the Institute of National Affairs, a think tank in PNG, said the revelations about police investigations into Genia come amid a ‘slippage in standards’ at the bank, which could complicate efforts at fixing the credibility of the country’s financial sector. Refer to OCCRP’s website: https://www.occrp.org/en

More on the NRL

In December 2024 the Australian Prime Minister announced an agreement with PNG that would see the PNG Rugby League team join the Australian National Rugby League (NRL) competition in 2028.

Reflecting these times of geopolitics there is a clause that the Australian Government will cease support for the PNG team, including redrawing the A$600 million funding, if PNG signs a security treaty with China (NRL.com/news).

Patrick Bourke

Australia’s Loan

Australia grants PNG A$570 million loan and as part of the deal PNG has agreed to tighten foreign investment screening to reduce unviable and high risk projects.

This is Australia’s fifth loan to PNG since 2020 taking Australia’s budget support to more than A$3.1 billion since the COVID pandemic (ABC News, 5 February 2025 Stephen Dziedzic and Marian Faa).