Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP) is hosting the 7th annual One Wave Festival on Friday September 19th and Saturday September 20th. One Wave is PPP’s inspired action to celebrate and honor connections to the Pacific while building identity and community. The purpose of One Wave is to engage individuals to create one movement amongst all peoples to address issues including: cultural integrity, language loss, climate change, ocean pollution, food security, Indigenous identity, racism, and long-term effects of colonialism.

These issues will be addressed at the free-admission Changemakers’ Summit on Friday September 19th co-hosted by the Centre for Asia Pacific Initiatives, and held at the University of Victoria Cadboro Commons from 1:00-3:30 PM. A panel presentation entitled, “Puppets, Performers, & Social Change” featuring changemakers such as Sutrisno Hartana, Wendy Passmore, and Jeremy Bally, will explore the role of the arts in acts of social transformation.

“PPP recognizes the need for social discourse around these issues through creative means,” said April Ingham, director of Pacific Peoples’ Partnership. “Our mission is to engage, educate, and activate.”

After the presentation, attendees will break out in groups led by various non-government officials (NGOs) including World Fisheries Trust, Cascadian Crusaders, and Raincoast Conservation Foundation, to discuss ways of becoming active in creating social change. The Puppets for Peace will also play a main role in this event with a puppet-making and performance workshop.

More free-admission workshops and performances will take place on Saturday September 20th in the Pacific Arts and Culture Showcase from 12:00-6:00 PM in Centennial Square. The day’s events will feature live music, spoken word, and dance performances from the North and South Pacific. There will be face painting, chalk art, storytelling, and various other interactive arts performances. Costumed performers (Cascadian Crusaders) and walking stilt puppets (Puppets for Peace) will also be highlights at the event. Local NGOs will be present in the vendor village to promote their respective missions. Kids and families are welcome.

For more information about this event, please contact PPP’s Media Relations representative Kat Zimmer at 250-381-4131. Currently, One Wave is seeking more volunteers, vendors, and artists to participate in this multi-cultural event. If you are interested, please email info@pacificpeoplespartnership.org.

PPP is a non-profit organization and registered charity that, for nearly 40 years, has supported the aspirations of South Pacific islanders for peace, justice, health, and environmental sustainability. PPP runs programs around sustainable development, capacity building, cultural exchanges, knowledge sharing, and global leadership. PPP has been recognized and supported by environmentalists such as David Suzuki, and continues to work in partnership with many other individuals and organizations.