Official Opening Of 3rd Summit Of Acp Heads Of State And Government Begins

A guard of honour together with traditional Fijian ceremonies of welcome will be the highlight of today’s (17/07/02) Third Summit of ACP (African Caribbean Pacific) Heads of State and Government at the Sheraton Fiji in Denarau, Nadi.

This will be the beginning of the formal programme for the ACP Summit.

The Guard of Honour will be mounted by the Republic of the Fiji Military Forces march this afternoon at 2.20pm.

ACP member delegations will be present to witness the traditional ceremonies that will be performed at the Sheraton’s Pro-Shop Lawn, that is also a golf course area.

Heads of delegations, invited guests including chiefs will be seated at a special area designated for them.

Chief guest Her Excellency, the Vice-President of the Dominican Republic, Milagros Ortiz Bosch representing the President of the 2nd Summit, will take the salute and inspect the Guard of Honour.

Following this will be the Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua that signals the beginning of the Fijian traditional ceremonies of welcome.

The Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua which will be performed by the people of Narewa village will include individual presentations of yaqona (grog), tabuas (whales teeth), mats, (whales teeth), mats prepared by the women, Fijian cooked food and a special ceremony where yaqona will be mixed and presented to the chief guest, Ms. Ortiz Bosch.

The people of Narewa are the landowners of the venue of the 3rd ACP Heads of State and Government at the Sheraton Fiji Resort in Nadi.

Students of Queen Victoria School will perform cultural entertainment, while refreshments will be served to guests.

Queen Victoria School named after the former Queen of England is one of the prestigious boarding schools for Fijian boys that is located at Matavatucou in the province of Tailevu.

Seated with Ms. Ortiz Bosch will be His Excellency, the President of Fiji, Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda and wife Adi Salaseini Kavunono Uluivuda.

Ratu Josefa also known as the Tui Vuda or Taukei Vunasei is the chief of the tikina (district) of Vuda in Nadi in the province of Ba.

Vuda is one of the main districts in the province of Ba which includes the Yasawa Islands and villages in Ba and Lautoka. Other districts in the province to name a few include, Sabeto, Nawaka, Nadi, Dratabu, Saunaka, Namoli, Vitogo, Naviti and Nacula.