This week, Nasi was given a special treat moving around the bush on horseback, visiting gardens, learning about poultry farming, planting food crops and kava, eyeing off the fish in the fisheries ponds and cuddling chickens and goats.
As part of the 2017 Pacific Mini Games awareness campaign to Government Ministries, Nasi visited the many different sites under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Bio security (MALFFB) in Port Vila.
It was an opportunity for the stakeholders in those sectors to have a glimpse of how beneficial it would be to work in collaboration with Van2017 to provide, and increase, local food production for the Games period; participate in tree planting Legacies before and during the Games; as well as advocate for healthy lifestyles for children by promoting planting, growing and eating locally grown products.
In October, Van2017 will know exactly the number of athletes and delegates coming from all over the Pacific for the Games in December, but Vanuatu needs to prepare now to host, feed, care and look after all delegations from the 24 neighbouring countries in Pacific region.
The Van2017 Mascot Team initiated Nasi’s visit to government ministries and departments to raise awareness about the biggest sporting event that the country has ever hosted, and to involve them in the preparation of the Games Service Delivery.
“No one should be left out, every single Vanuatu citizen is part of this event; this event is about National Pride. It is an opportunity to be part of history; by becoming a Van-Tastic volunteer, touching the Sagoa, being part of the Champions Program lessons in school, taking photos with Nasi, seeing Nasi in the village, planting a tree for the Games, supporting local sports by buying a ticket to watch one or all of the 14 sport disciplines, being in a Games or Sports Federation committee, organizing promotional activities, or being in the Games workforce,” said CEO Clint Flood.
Nasi’s visit to MALFFB also sends a message to protect the environment, keep Port Vila clean leading up to and during the Games, encourage production of small livestock farming, plant more trees, stressing that eating local food is healthier, promoting local commercial crops such as vegetables and Kava, promoting aquaculture farming as the population grows faster, encourage local production to reduce the import of food such as potatoes that can be harvested before the Games.
Nasi, the loveable big bird, decided this time not to fly, but to travel on local, ecofriendly transport – Horseback.
Directors of Departments under the Ministry acknowledged the initiative of having Nasi visit their respective departments, and this has prompted a proposal from the Department of BioSecurity to use Nasi as an icon for its BioSecurity & Quarantine messages to travellers, to protect Vanuatu’s agricultural industries and unique environment. The Games Mascot will not only be seen as a representation of a Sporting Event, but also as an advocator and promoter of being good health, clean environment, healthy food and promoting local resources.
Photos supplied
