The National Cultural Commission and UNESCO officially launched the Toare Cultural Centre on March 27, 2025, in Kerema, Gulf Province. The event was attended by Mr. Alex Pukie, Manager for Research at the National Cultural Commission, Mr. Oscar Evara, Coordinator of Tourism and Culture at the Gulf Provincial Government, Ben Micha, Chairman of the Toare Mas Festival, village elders, and the people of Toare Village.

The Toare Cultural Centre is the result of a collaborative initiative between the National Cultural Commission and UNESCO. The cultural center is one of the processes of preparing a nomination file for the Urgent Safeguarding List for the social practices and rituals related to the Toare mask culture.

The primary purpose of the cultural center is to provide a dedicated space for the masks, keeping them separate from family homes where they had previously been stored without proper care.

According to the elders, the masks were once kept in a special, designated place, and when it was time to perform, they would visit that space to conduct rituals before wearing the masks. However, over time, this authentic cultural practice has been lost, as the masks no longer have a designated space for proper storage and preparation.

Mr. Alexx Puki said, “According to NCC’s record, it shows that we have never undertaken a project like this in collaboration with an international organization such as UNESCO. NCC has been involved in many smaller projects in remote areas across the country. However, this project stands out from the others. It is special because it marks the first-ever project of its kind in the Pacific and the country.”

The project began in 2023 when the NCC research team conducted a study and discovered a significant collection of masks within the Toare territory. While masks are found in other parts of the country, the Toare mask is unique due to the diverse cultural meanings and traditions embedded in each mask.

Mr. Oscar Evara expressed his heartfelt gratitude to UNESCO, the National Cultural Commission, and the people of Toare for their unwavering support and collaboration in making the Toare Cultural Centre a reality.

He highlighted the invaluable contribution of UNESCO in bringing global attention to the importance of safeguarding this cultural heritage, as well as the dedication of the NCC in carrying out vital research and ensuring the nomination process of the Toare mask tradition to UNESCO is taking place.

Mr. Evara also acknowledged the people of Toare for their active participation and commitment to safeguarding their unique cultural heritage, recognizing their efforts as crucial in sustaining the tradition for future generations.

He said, “Culture has a power to change your life, culture has the power to generate economic income or cash flow into the community. With this infrastructure it means that government knows you, you are not left behind.”

Mr. Ben Micha, the Chairman of Toare Mask Festival, expresses his sincere gratitude to the NCC, UNESCO, and the Gulf Provincial Government for their support in establishing the cultural center. He assures them that the people of Toare will take full responsibility for its care and maintenance.