22 Jul 2004

Palau welcomes Arts Festival delegates in canoe ceremony

5:24 pm on 22 July 2004

The Festival of Pacific Arts in Palau is under way with thousands of people attending the event.

From Koror, Sara Vui Talitu reports.

"Large crowds were at the Japan-Palau friendship bridge to celebrate the dawn canoe flotilla ceremony. Each delegation had a rower who was welcomed in an array of traditional island song and dance as they came on shore. Palauans put on a traditional welcome in order to bless the festival. The minister of cultural affairs, Alexander Merep, took the opportunity to warmly welcome all the delegates. It was the first time in 50 years that Palau has seen such a large number of canoes come together and no doubt hosted so many people at one time."