KEYNOTE SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, HON. TUALA TEVAGA IOSEFO PONIFASIO ON THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE 34TH TEUILA FESTIVAL

(ON FRIDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 2024 AT 9.00AM TEUILA STAGE - FRONT OF FMFM II BUILDING)

Lau Susuga i le Ta'ita'i o le Sauniga, lau Susuga i le Sea Rev. Mariota Sia'ea

Afioga i Minisita o le Kapeneta

Sui o Malo mai Fafo (Diplomatic Corps)

Fa'auluuluga o Matagaluega ma Fa'alapotopotoga a le Malō

Le Tausala o le Pasefika/Tausala o Samoa, ma Tama'ita'i Tauvā

mo le Tauvaga mo se Tausala o Samoa 2024

Mamalu o le Au Vala'aulia, ma le paia lasilasi o Samoa ua potopoto

O lea ua mae'a ona momoli le tatou mua ma le fa'asao i le Tama oi le lagi, e fa'afetaia ai lona alofa ma lona agalelei fa'asoa, ua mafai ai ona tatou feiloa'i i le pu'e o manū, ae le o pu'e o mala, i lenei taeao matagofie.

E ao ai lava ona fa'apoipoi se fa'amatalaga, e faigata o Samoa e mamala tala, toe mamala le palapala. Fa'atulou ai i tua o Sinave ma Uluomoto'otua, aua le Afifio o Alo o Sina ma le Fuaifale o Salevalasi. O lo'o tausiva'atele e le fetalaiga i le Faletolu ma le Vainalepa ma Tuisamau. Tulou Tulou Tulouna ia.

Taoto pa'ia o Samoa ua aofata i ulumauga ma ua lalago i malae ma maota, e le toe maveve i se fa'amatalaga a le Malo.

Ae ua ifo nei i tia seu le fa'atamasoali'iga a le tautai o le namo, ina ua tu nei i Taumeasina ae sila maimoa i le maota o matagofie pei o le tala e fai i le fale i Vaimauga, aua o lea ua segia ai nei le va'ai ma seu silasila Samoa, i fa'afiafiaga ma Polokalame o le vaiaso o le Teuila.

Ua le gata ina tatou toe to manatu ai i le fa'afaileleina o la taua aganu'u ma le

aga-i-fanua e ala i fa'afiafiaga ma fa'atinoga, ae o le molimoliina fo'i o le feau fa'alauiloa e tapu'e ma fa'atamaoa'igaina ai lo tatou si'osi'omaga fa'apea le fa'amautuina pea o tu ma aga a Samoa.

Ou te mua'i fa'afeiloai atu i lo outou paia ma lo outou mamalu, i le afifio mai e molimauina le tapunia aloa'ia o le Fa'aaliga lona 34 o le Teuila.

E lagona le agaga fa'agae'etia ma le fa'afetai e tusa ai ma lenei vaiaso. E pei ona tatou fa'amanatuina ai le Fa'aaliga o le Teuila i lona fa'amoemoega autu ua fa'apea "Fa'atamao'aiga lou Si'osi'omaga, Taofimau lau Aganu'u".

E avea ai lenei avanoa e avatu ai le fa'afetai ia i latou uma na fa'atauaina le leai atu i 'apa ma fagu uga (plastic free approach), e tusa ai ma le autu o le Teuila o lenei tausaga. Na maitauina pea i fa'aaliga o le Teuila i po ta'itasi, le fa'aitiitia o otaota tau 'apa ma fagu uga pe a fa'atusatusa i tausaga ua mavae. O se taumafaiga maoa'e lenei mo lenei fuafuaga, talu ona amata fa'amamaluina mai.

E momoli le fa'afetai ia i latou uma na auai i tapenaga ma fa'afiafiaga o le Teuila o lenei tausaga, aemaise i latou na malaga mai atunu'u i fafo. O le tou sao taua i lenei tausaga e ala i siva ma pese fa'aleaganuu, fa'atasi ai ma fa'afiafiaga eseese, ua matagofie ai la tatou polokalame. Ia fa'alaolao e le Alii ala uma i le toe taliu atu i aiga o lo'o fa'atali mai. Tatou toe feiloa'i fo'i i se aso o i luma i Samoa Lalelei.

E momoli atu foi le fa'afetai i pa'aga lagolago uma, sa limalima fa'atasi, i le fa'amanatuina o le Teuila i lenei tausaga. Fa'afetai le lagolagosua. Ia alofa Le Atua ma fa'amanuia i o outou tiute ma faiva o le lumana'i.

Mo a tatou Itumalo sa alolofa ma fesoasoani mai e ala i teuga matagofie o ta'avale teuteuina mo sui tauva ta'itasi mo le Tauvaga mo se Tausala o Samoa, fa'afetai i lo outou titi faitama mo a tatou fanau tama'ita'i. E ese le matagofie o le va'ava'ai atu i lo outou lotonu'u fa'aalia ma le tou fai mea lelei silisili. Fa'afetai tele lava. Ou te talitonu o le a teuloto e nei tama'ita'i ni a'oa'oga taua na maua mai i le latou taimi fa'aauro sa fa'atasi ai ma outou.

E fa'apitoa le fa'afetai i le Onomea Production mo a latou taumafaiga aua le fa'afaileleina o alo tamaita'i a Samoa e ala i le Polokalame o le 'Anofale, fa'atasi ai ma le Faiga-pa'aga ma Itumalo e ala i le Matagaluega o Tina ma Tama'itai, Atinae o Afioaga ma Aga Feso'otai.

Ona tatou o'o mai lea i tamaita'i lalelei o lo'o tauva mo se Tausala o Samoa 2024-2025. O outou uma o Tausala Samoa, o tama'ita'i totoa. O lo outou ulufale ma i lenei tauvaga, ua lava lea e fa'ailoa atu ai ia Samoa, o lo'o fia fai so outou sao mo Samoa ma lona lumana'i manuia. Faafetai tele lava

Saga'i ane ai o le tai i lo outou tula'i mai ma ia iai le fa'amalumaluga a le Tapa'au Sili i le lagi i a outou taumafaiga ma le tou folauga. 'O outou māmā na.

Toe fa'amanatu atu i le tatou atunu'u le fa'amautuina pea ma fa'aauau pea le fa'amama ma le fa'amatagofieina o tatou nu'u ma alalafaga. Ia fa'atupula'ia pea lo tatou apoapo ma lo tatou puipui i lo tatou si'osi'omaga o lo'o tulaga ese ai lava Samoa i le Pasefika.

Sau se taimi, tu'uama le fua ma tatala le filiali'i, tatou mavae i le alofa ma le agalelei o le Ali'i ina ia saogalemu fuafuaga uma o lenei aso.

I want to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending the Closing Ceremony of the 34th Teuila Festival.

As we gather here this morning, I am grateful for the divine favor and grace that have blessed us throughout the events of this past week. Over the past few days, we have come together to celebrate this festival, embracing its theme: "Enrich our Environment, Embrace our Culture."

First and foremost, I want to express my sincere appreciation to all the participants and attendees for supporting our plastic-free initiative, in alignment with our festival theme. It has been encouraging to see a noticeable reduction in plastic waste after each night's events compared to previous years. While we have not yet achieved our goal of zero plastic waste, the progress we have made is commendable.

I would also like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of all the performers who have contributed to the event over the past few days, especially those who travelled from overseas to participate in our Variety Shows. I hope you have enjoyed your time here, and I wish you safe travels back home. We hope to welcome you back soon to "Beautiful Samoa."

The success of this year's Teuila Festival is a testament to the strong partnerships between our sponsors and the Samoa Tourism Authority. I would like to recognise and thank all our sponsors for their vital contributions in bringing this event to life. We wish you continued prosperity in your future endeavours.

It is heartening to witness the pride with which each district has embraced and supported their respective Miss Samoa contestants throughout their journey, including assisting with the preparation of their floats for this morning's parade. I trust that the lessons learned through these collaborations will remain with the contestants for a lifetime.

I want to extend special recognition to Onomea Production for their exceptional efforts in nurturing the young women of Samoa through the Anofale initiative, in partnership with districts and communities, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Communities, and Social Development.

To the 2024 Miss Samoa Pageant contestants, I wish you and your support teams the best for the crowning night tomorrow. I want to remind each one of you that you are already a winner by standing here today, boldly sharing your unique light with your people and the world. Your courage, strength, beauty and grace have brought you to this occasion. This platform is just one step in your incredible journey, but your courage will pave the way for countless others to follow. Be proud of who you are. Go forward with confidence and shine!"

In closing, I urge our nation to continue our collective efforts to beautify and maintain the cleanliness of our villages and our Samoa.

Faamanuia mai le Atua i lenei aso - Soifua ma ia manuia !!

Photo by Government of Samoa (Leota Marc Membrere)

September 17, 2024

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