The Hon. Minister Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o officially launched the “Paradise at Risk” exhibition and the Manaia Women’s Market, celebrating Samoa’s art, cultural resilience, and environmental advocacy. In her speech, Minister Mulipola began by conveying apologies from Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, who was attending to CHOGM leaders. The Prime Minister sent her best wishes, commending the artists and vendors for their invaluable contributions to Samoa’s cultural heritage.
Minister Mulipola highlighted the essential role of art in connecting society with its values, stories, and future aspirations. “Art and culture are the soul of resilience woven into our lives, they tell our stories, preserve our heritage, and inspire our future,” she stated. As she walked through the exhibition, she was moved by the images of Samoa’s unique symbols, like the Taupou, Sogaimiti, and manumea bird; each capturing the pride, identity, and responsibility to safeguard Samoa’s biodiversity and culture.
In launching the exhibition, the Minister emphasised that “Paradise at Risk” is more than an art showcase; it is a platform for action, raising awareness of climate change and environmental protection. With art also recognised for its positive impact on mental health and well-being, she praised the work of the Visual Artists of Samoa (VAOSA), whose pieces reflect both the beauty and fragility of Samoa in a changing climate.
Minister Mulipola dedicated the evening to the 1.5 billion young people across the Commonwealth, particularly their commitment to fighting climate change. Representing Samoa’s dedication to a sustainable future, she reaffirmed the nation’s stance on limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, noting it as a matter of survival for small island nations.
The Manaia Women’s Market was also highlighted as a celebration of resilience and entrepreneurship, with 42 vendors from across the Pacific sharing their journeys in building businesses and preserving cultural heritage. The market, supported by the Ministry of Women, Community, and Social Development, showcases the transformative stories of women from initiatives like Nofotane, who have uplifted their lives and communities. A future cultural exchange program will connect these entrepreneurs with festivals and learning opportunities across the Pacific, in collaboration with UN Women, the Government of Australia, and the SPC.
Minister Mulipola closed by encouraging everyone to support these artists and entrepreneurs, reminding the audience that unity and action create lasting impact. “Let Paradise at Risk and the Manaia Women’s Market remind us of the profound impact we create when we unite—where art meets action, and resilience meets opportunity,” she urged, calling for community involvement in climate action for a sustainable future.
The exhibition and market now stand as symbols of Samoa’s commitment to resilience, sustainability, and cultural preservation, uniting art and community in the fight against climate change.
Full speech in Samoan:–
Susuga i le taitai o le sauniga, lau susuga Reverend Dr. Siaosi Salesulu
Afioga i Minisita
Sui mamalu o malo ma tatou pa’aga mai fafo,
Au tusiata VAOSA ma le sui auai o le Manaia Women Maketi
Mamalu o le auvala’aulia
Talofa lava,
“O le fa’atufugaga o Tusiata ma le Aganu’u, o anofale ia o le maufetu’una’i – e ulu’ulu matāfolau
i o tatou olaga, e talatalapipi, e fa’asao i o tatou tala’aga, ma matimati i lo tatou lumanai”.
O le fa’atufugaga o le tusiata, e telē lona sao aoga i fa’alapotopotoga, e feso’otai tatou i o tatou
tamali’iaga, talitonuga ma moemitiga. E afua mai i tusiga’ata o tatou tala’aga se ia o’o i siapo
ma le ie toga, mai i le taupou i le anofale o le malumalu o le Ekalesia Katoliko i Mulivai, o foliga
va’aia o fa’atufugaga o tusiata, latou te mamanuina ma fa’aoaina o tatou afioaga. Na ou agai
mai i totonu o le malu nei, sa fa’afeiloai a’u e ata mataina le matagofie o le Taupou, Sogaimiti,
Manumea ma le lanulauava o lo tatou siosiomaga – o se fa’ailoilo o tatou tagata, aganu’u ma lo
tatou si’omiaga. O lo’o fa’amatala ai le mitamitaga ma le fa’asinomaga, ae afiafi ai le feau
taulogologo i ou nafa tausi, o le puipui ma fa’asao lo tatou siosiomaga.
Mai i lagona ua ofosia i le fa’age’etia ma le vala’auina, e ia te au le ava tele e tatala aloaia ai le
Fa’aaliga a le Paradise at Risk ma le Manaia Women’s Market. O le fa’asinoga a fa’atufugaga o
tusiata, ua molimauina e atulasi ona tala’aga; o se aupega mo fa’atinoga, luitau i o tatou
manatunatuga, fa’aleoina o tatou moemitiga, ao se fa’amanatu i talatalaga o mataupu e
mamanu ai so tatou lumanai manuia.
O fa’atufugaga foi o tusiata, o lo’o molitu se feau e lagolagoina le soifua maloloina o le
mafaufau ma le soifua manuia lautele, e tapenaina fa’afafine toaga mapusaga e tua iai ou
fa’alagona. E fa’amaonia lenei mau i galuega fa’atufugaga a o tatou tusiata mai Visual Artists o
Samoa (VAOSA), o lo’o fa’alauiloa mai lo tatou siosiomaga, aganu’u ma agatausili i fesuiaiga o
le tau. O lo’o fa’amatala mai i o latou faiva le Samoa Matalasi ma le fautuaga ia tatou galulue
fa’atasi e puipuia lona matagofie.
O le asō, tatou te aualofa ai e ala i lenei polokalame i le 1.5 piliona tupulaga talavou o Malo o le
Taupulega, i o latou nafa e fa’aiti’itia ai a’afiaga i suiga o le tau ma o se fagufagu mo i tatou, e le
na o ni taitai mo le lumanai, ae o amepasa mo suiga lelei o lo’o o tatou molimana’o iai. E
mausali Samoa i lana matafaioi o le fa’aaupegaina o ona tupulaga talavou, fausia agava’a o
maufetu’una’i, ma ausia se lumanai saogalemu ma manuia. O se vaega fa’apa’aga o atumotu
laiti, ua talosagaina le manaomiaga o le fa’aiti’itia o le si’itia o le vevela i le 1.5 tikeli – e le o
fuainumera ao le feau taua o le soifua manuia. O le ausiaina o nei moemitiga: o le fa’atupulaiga
o kasa o’ona, ia tatau ona o’o atu i le 2030 ua fa’aiti’itia mai i le afa mai ia ausia le leai o se mea i
le tausaga e 2050.
I le fa’amoemoe o lenei aso, ua fa’ailoa mai e le fa’alauiloa a le Paradise at Risk, le leotele o le
taualaga a tamaitai ma tupulaga talavou o lo’o mafatia i a’afiaga o suiga o le tau, ma molitu mai
se feau mo tatou uma ina ia galulue mo se lumanai gafataulimaina. Mai i galuega
gafataulimaina a o latou a’ao, e silia ma le 20 tusiata ua fa’alauiloa mai le matagofie o Samoa
ma lo tatou nafa fai fa’atasi o le puipuia o lo tatou Samoa Matalasi.
O le Manaia Women’s Market foi, o le patipatia o le maufetu’una’i, faiva o tamaoaiga ma tu ma
aga fa’a-le-aganu’u mai i le 42 sui auai mai atumotu o le Pasefika, o lo’o fa’asoa tala’aga i le
atiaeina o pisinisi mai i le leai o se mea. O nei galuega o lo’o galulue fa’apa’aga ai le
Matagaluega o Tina ma Tamaitai, Atinae o Afioaga ma Agafeso’otai fa’atasi ma tamaitai nei – e
aofia ai sui auai o le polokalame Nofotane – I se galuega ua suia ai o latou tamali’iaga aemaise
afioaga. O lenei maketi, o se fa’ailoilo o le tutu fa’atasi ma ia gafataulimaina le soifuaga, ofoina
atu o fa’amanuiaga mo le tamaoaiga a o se auala e puipuia ai tu ma aga fa’a-le-aganu’u. O le
va’aiga mamao, o le faia o se polokalame fa’afesuia’i fa’a-le-aganu’u e feso’otai ai le au
faipisinisi o lo’o auai mai i atumotu o le Pasefika, ae lagolagoina e le matagaluega, UN Women
Malo o Ausetalia ma SPC.
I lo tatou auai e patipatia fa’amoemoe nei e lua, o lea ua fa’amanatu mai ai ia tatou le taua o le
galulue fa’atasi – ina ua avea fa’atufugaga o tusiata e fa’atinoa galuega, ae o se avanoa ua ausia
ai le maufetu’una’i. O feau momoli mo tatou, avea lelei fa’amoemoe taua e fa’amanatu mai ai
ia tatou, e tautala’aso galuega ma fa’atinoga. E vala’au atu foi ma le fa’aaloalo mo tatou uma,
ina ia fai le faiva o le fa’alauiloa mo suiga lelei i afioaga, fale faigaluega ma so’o se feso’otaiga.
Tatou patipatia ma le agaga fa’afetai fa’atufugaga o tusiata ma aufaipisinisi ua aofia nei, ta’imua
i galuega lelei e tete’e ai i suiga o le tau, ma ia faia filifiliga mo se soifuaga gafataulimaina i aso
taitasi. O le lumanai manuia o a tatou fanau, tupulaga talavou ma lenei paneta o lo’o i galuega
a o outou a’ao, ma o lo tatou taimi lenei tatou te tutu fa’atasi ai e fai lo tatou matafaioi e puipui
ma fa’asao.
“Tatou mamanuina se lumanai ma le loto fuatiaifo e lelei, mo augatupulaga lalovaoa o lo’o fai
mai”
Faafetai ma ia manuia
