Prime Minister Hon. James Marape last night joined His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron of France for a special visit to the internationally acclaimed “Plumes of Paradise” exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris.

The visit on the evening of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, formed part of Prime Minister Marape’s official visit to France and highlighted the growing cultural and diplomatic ties between Papua New Guinea and France.

Prime Minister Marape said he was deeply honoured to witness Papua New Guinea’s rich cultural heritage being showcased at one of Europe’s leading museums dedicated to indigenous civilisations and world cultures.

“This exhibition is not only about birds-of-paradise feathers or traditional artefacts,” Prime Minister Marape said.

“It is about the identity, spirit, creativity, and civilisation of our people.

“It tells the world that Papua New Guinea is one of the great cultural treasures of humanity.”

The “Plumes of Paradise” exhibition celebrates the extraordinary artistic and ceremonial traditions associated with the bird-of-paradise and the wider cultures of Papua New Guinea and Melanesia.

The exhibition explores the significance of bird-of-paradise plumes in traditional leadership, singsings, ceremonies, tribal identity, spirituality, artistic expression, and cultural exchange systems throughout Papua New Guinea.

Prime Minister Marape said the exhibition was especially meaningful as Papua New Guinea celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence this year.

“As we commemorate 50 years of nationhood, it is fitting that the world recognises not only our economic potential and natural resources, but also the immense cultural wealth of our people,” he said.

“Our greatest assets are our people, our languages, our traditions, our forests, our oceans, and our unique identity as a Pacific nation.”

Prime Minister Marape thanked President Macron, the Government of France, and the museum for recognising Papua New Guinea’s cultural importance on the world stage.

He noted that the exhibition reflected growing international appreciation for indigenous cultures and the need to preserve traditional knowledge and heritage for future generations.

“The world is increasingly recognising the importance of indigenous wisdom, cultural identity, and environmental stewardship,” Prime Minister Marape said.

“Papua New Guinea has much to contribute to humanity through our cultures, our biodiversity, and our traditional knowledge systems.”

Prime Minister Marape also acknowledged the participation of Papua New Guinea artists and cultural voices in the exhibition, saying it was important that Papua New Guineans themselves help tell their own stories internationally.

The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac houses one of the world’s most important collections of Oceanic and Melanesian cultural artefacts and has long been recognised for its research and preservation of Pacific heritage.

Prime Minister Marape said the visit symbolised the growing partnership between Papua New Guinea and France not only in trade, investment, climate cooperation, and regional affairs, but also in culture, education, and people-to-people relations.

“This visit reminds us that culture builds bridges between nations,” he said.

“It creates understanding, mutual respect, and friendship between peoples.”

Prime Minister Marape is currently in France on an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Papua New Guinea and France across multiple sectors including trade, investment, infrastructure, climate cooperation, defence, and cultural exchange.