Jiwaka partners with MBoP to showcase culture

*From L-R:* MBoP deputy chairlady Rubie Kerepa, Jiwaka MBoP deputy chairlady Cathy Wena, chairlady Teresa Kua and Miss PNG Impela Popena during the signing of the MOA in Jiwaka earlier this week *(NBC News)*

Jiwaka Province is set to enter the national pageant arena after signing a historic partnership agreement with Miss Bird of Paradise Papua New Guinea [MBoP] Incorporated.

The Memorandum of Agreement [MoA] was officially signed between the MBoP PNG Secretariat and the newly established Jiwaka MBoP provincial committee on Monday in Banz.

Organisers said the framework will govern the province’s active participation in the Miss Bird of Paradise Provincial Pageant 2026, creating an official pathway to the national crown.

The agreement also binds the provincial committee to strict national compliance regarding governance, financial accountability, safeguarding protocols, and brand standards.

Reigning Miss Bird of Paradise PNG, Impela Popena, witnessed the signing and urged the local committee to use the platform to empower young women.

Ms Popena said the initiative would provide young girls with opportunities to proudly represent Jiwaka's diverse culture while fostering sisterhood and personal development.

MBoP PNG Pageant deputy chairlady Rubie Kerepa said the pageant platform was previously heavily centered in Port Moresby, which failed to reflect the true diversity of PNG's 800-plus languages and ethnic groups.

Miss Bird of Paradise PNG Impela Popena (middle) with national secretariat and Jiwaka Miss Bird of Paradise secretariat and stakeholders *(NBC News)*

Kerepa said taking the national show out of the capital city since September 2023 was a positive step towards rural inclusion.

She said while the MBoP pageant is still in its infancy, expanding the committee structure to the provinces gives young women a rare chance to represent PNG on both national and regional Pacific stages.

"Most of PNG's oral histories and culture are dying out," Kerepa said. "This is one of the platforms that will tell our stories and folklore, preserving our unique cultures and identities."

MBoP Jiwaka chairlady Theresa Kua said the partnership brought immense pride, joy, and inspiration to the young province.

"Far more than a showcase of beauty and culture, it is a powerful national platform dedicated to charity, education, and the holistic empowerment of young people," Ms Kua said. "It creates leaders, shapes advocates, and provides platforms for voices that need to be heard."

She added that the MOA represents a formal pledge by the province to actively participate in the 2026 national event.

The Jiwaka provincial government, through its community youth development program, has allocated K300,000 in counter-funding to support the rollout of the project.