Digicel PNG Foundation Hosts its 7th Season Men of Honour Awards

Front L-R: Michael Ikavape (Southern Region), Michael Yapi (Highlands Region), Jimmy Bunny (Southern Region), Awok Awok (Momase Region), Noel Sirias (Momase Region), Pastor Mishael Zairere (Islands Region), Jonathan Mesulam (Islands Region), Peter Supa (Highlands Region). Stage L-R: Colin Stone (Digicel PNG Group CEO), Simon C. Pitt (PNG Air Chief Commercial Officer), Serena Sasingian (Digicel Foundation CEO), Stanley Bakere (Southern Region Unsung Hero), Hon. Timothy Masui (ICT Minister), Samson Kelu (Islands Region Unsung Hero), Hon. Prime Minister James Marape, Duaro Embi (Momase Region Unsung Hero), Johannes Kundal (Highlands Region Unsung Hero). Back L-R: John McCarthy (Atlas Steel PNG General Manager), Maxwell Haro (Santos Environment Manager), and Lydia Warubi (Santos Safety Manager)

Thursday 25th May 2023, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea || Digicel PNG Foundation hosted its 7th season Men of Honour Awards on Wednesday 3rd May 2023 at the Apec Haus in Port Moresby.

The Men of Honour Campaign is a peace building initiative by Digicel PNG Foundation that focuses on positive behavior with the aim to break the cycle of violence in PNG. To date, the Men of Honour Campaign has awarded 107 men across the nation on the outstanding work they are doing in their communities to build peace and address drivers of violence in their community. This year was the campaign’s seventh season. Three ambassadors were selected from each of the four regions, with one ‘Unsung Hero’ award given to an ambassador from each region.

Digicel PNG Foundation was proud to announce the 12 ambassadors for season seven at the Men of Honour Awards. These men were nominated by their families and communities because of the courage they have shown in maintaining peace, addressing violence, and for being role models in their communities.

The Men of Honour ambassadors for season seven are;

Johannes Kundal from Enga Province (Highlands region ambassador and Unsung Hero Award recipient), Peter Supa from Simbu Province (Highlands region ambassador), Michael Yapi from Western Highlands Province (Highlands region ambassador), Stanley Bakere from NCD (Southern region ambassador and Unsung Hero Award recipient), Jimmy L. Bunny from NCD (Southern region ambassador), Michael K. Ikavape from NCD (Southern region ambassador), Duaro Embi from Morobe Province (Momase region ambassador and Unsung Hero Award recipient), Awok Awok from Madang Province (Momase region ambassador), Noel Sirias from East Sepik Province (Momase region ambassador), Samson Kelu from West New Britain Province (Islands region ambassador and Unsung Hero Award recipient), Pastor Mishael Zairere from West New Britain Province (Islands region ambassador), and Jonathan Mesulam from New Ireland Province (Islands region ambassador).

The event was a success through the support of regional sponsors namely Digicel PNG for Islands Region, BSP Group for Southern Region, Atlas Steel for Momase Region, Santos for Highlands Region, with PNG Air as the official carrier and Airways Hotel providing accommodation.

It was a spectacular occasion on the evening of Wednesday 3rd May with performances highlighting each of the four regions of Papua New Guinea. Prime Minister Hon. James Marape attended and spoke at the event. He appreciated Digicel Foundation for running the Men of Honour campaign for seven seasons and thanked the sponsors for making the event possible.

‘’This country needs men in all sectors to take leadership. Tonight I am happy I spent the last two hours here and not elsewhere to be inspired by the stories of those fine gentlemen. If you want your country to be better, it starts with you, it starts with me. It starts with us in where our circle of influence is the greatest. Like the twelve who came up tonight, they are doing their bit in their corner of our country. Thank you Digicel Foundation for making wonderful stories come out from every corner of our country.’’

Other high profile dignitaries present included Motu Koita Assembly Chairman Hon. Dadi Toka Jr, Vice Minister for Petroleum and Energy Hon. Thomas Opa, Minister for Information and Communications Technology Hon. Timothy Masui, Australian High Commissioner to PNG His Excellency Jon Philp, and EU Head of Delegation to PNG Ambassador Jacques Fradin.

Digicel PNG Group CEO Colin Stone expressed that the company was privileged to be part of the development stories of the communities that Digicel works in.

‘’The key tool that that will help shift the culture around some of these aggressive cultural norms is storytelling and role modeling. That is why the Men of Honour focuses on changing the narrative around the violence, by telling the stories of these positive role models. Today we celebrate them.

The event ended on a high note with a unification ceremony outside Apec Haus with the Royal PNG Constabulary band playing a few famous local tunes.