The streets of the nation’s capital came alive as the Divine Word University (DWU) Port Moresby campus launched its pre-celebration activities for the institution's 30th Anniversary, marked by a large and vibrant motorcade that took place through the city.
The motorcade served as a public and first series of activities towards the university’s official anniversary date on August 21, signaling 30 years of academic excellence and national development since gaining university status in 1996.
Accompanied by Traffic Police and the Road Traffic Authority (RTA), a convoy of over 30 vehicles-ranging from buses to decorated open-back trucks, this saw a major city route stretching from the campus through 4 Mile, Boroko, Manu, Sabama, Badili, Ela Beach, Downtown, Hohola, Tokarara, Waigani, and Gerehu over the course of two-and-a-half-hours.
“The turnout and participation were simply excellent,” said Mr. Sheperd Kia, Chair of the DWU 30th Anniversary Committee for the Port Moresby campus.
“We had nearly 450 participants, including over 120 full-time students, Flexible Learning Centre (FLC) students, 37 staff members, along with our dedicated alumni, families, and friends of the university. Everyone was proud and the spirit of teamwork was truly inspiring.”
A highlight of the procession was its creative theme, which divided participants and decorated vehicles into three historical phases: past, present, and future.
“The overall theme focused specifically on the journey of the university,” Mr. Kia explained. “The ‘past’ section honored the early missionaries who came to Papua New Guinea and established our institution as a high school back in 1968, leading up to its institute phase and eventual recognition as a full university in 1996.”
“Our students dressed in traditional attire, put up banners, and represented these eras with immense pride."
The motorcade took place on Saturday, August 15th, following a Thanksgiving Mass held earlier as part of the broader commemorative events.
Beyond highlighting the main campus in Port Moresby, the public awareness drive serves to represent DWU’s affiliated campuses across the country, uniting the entire university community under one banner.
Mr. Kia said that the main 30th Anniversary celebration will take place on Friday, August 21, at the Taurama Aquatic Centre, where the public is invited to join in the festivities.
The celebrations will conclude with a corporate fundraising dinner on Saturday, August 22, at the Dynasty Restaurant located at Vision City.
“The proceedings and money raised from the corporate dinner will directly support the construction of our new staff accommodation building, which is currently underway.”
“This motorcade was our way of letting the public know that Divine Word University is celebrating 30 years of impacting lives, and we welcome everyone to join us as we mark this significant milestone.”
