The Unity Library brings communities together
Today marked an important moment for the people of Bougainville as the Unity Library opened the doors to its new location. Thanks to support from Australian Aid and Digicel the library now has a home close to Parliament House and FODE in Kubu.
Many distinguished guests attended, including Vice President Raymond Masono and the Education Minister Thomas Pata’aku. The Australian High Commission was represented by the Second Secretary, Nicola Simpson and Pauline Tane from Digicel was also present.
The speeches emphasised the inspiration that books provide, for students, forming a foundation for their future. Hon. Thomas Pata’aku likened the library to a knowledge bank where people could come and access information from those with a story to tell and a message to share. Vice President Masono spoke of Bougainville’s low literacy rate and how community institutions, such as the Unity Library, can help to reduce this and build a stronger future for the region.
In Bougainville, people often refer to the ‘lost generation’ of children, who grew up during the crisis and were unable to access education. Many today still lack literacy skills. The Unity Library hopes to create an inclusive space that values “education, learning and personal growth and….creating an environment that is welcoming and safe, and respects teamwork, diversity and equal opportunity.”
The Unity Library first opened in April 2016 with support from Lady Judith Bona and Lesley Palmer. Since then the library has become a focal point for children and adults throughout Buka Island, a place where they can visit, relax and borrow books on a variety of different topics. It has also provided training for the group of dedicated volunteers, headed by Library Manager Deborah Mumia and Senior Library Officer Tracy Nase.
Membership to the library is free and patrons have access to a collection of both fiction and non-fiction books that caters to adults as well as children. There are plans in the future to extend the building to include an open air reading room and an additional building that would be used for a variety of purposes. Both Vice President Masono and the Education Minister Thomas Pata’aku said they hoped other communities throughout Bougainville could have their own libraries in the future and that more remote areas could be reached.
A group of children from the Matrix Early Learning centre stood confidently before the gathered crowd and read poems about the magic of books and the love of reading. The audience was also entertained with a performance from an energetic bamboo band. The ceremony ended with the cutting of the ribbon, declaring the library officially open and then lunch was provided to all the guests in attendance.
The Unity Library is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1-5pm. For more information you can contact the library at unitylibraryofbuka@gmail.com or find them on Facebook at Unity Library of Buka.
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