The University of the South Pacific (U.S.P.) Alafua Campus opened its 50th year anniversary celebration at the campus yesterday. 

It will be a week of activities with yesterday starting with students debating on the topic “U.S.P. has lived up to its ideal in the past 50 years” and “The U.S.P. qualification are relevant for meeting U.S.P.s nations’ priorities”, community workshops such as floral crown making, elei printing and tapa printing. 

University representative Ronna Lee said the whole idea of the activities is to engage people. 

“The whole idea is to engage with local people who are doing elei printing, floral crown making, and also tapa making. We had a demonstration done by each workshop. It is to encourage people in the community to come to U.S.P. and to participate in these workshops,” Ms. Lee said.

“Each workshop had 20 invited business participants who specialise in these three various workshops.”

She added they facilitate and organise the promotions of people to come and take part with all proceeds to go back to these local business owners.   

“Another idea is for today to be the beginning of many other types of workshops that we will be hosting here at the campus.

“So the floral crown making was quite popular so we will be hosting a couple more throughout the year.

Ms. Lee said the main aim of yesterday’s event is to encourage people to learn transferable skills and to also invite unemployed youths to join the activities with only $20 participation fee and demonstrations are free of charge.

“The only reason we are charging is for the ones who are running the workshops. 

“U.S.P. likes to engage in community service and volunteerism as well, the idea for us is to provide the facilities and help local people earn some income, transferable skills and hopefully use that skill to earn a living,” said Ms. Lee.