The Vanuatu Cultural Centre this week opened a major new exhibition, the “000 Collection”, at the National Library and Archives, unveiling a trove of exceptionally rare Pacific books, some dating to the mid‑19th century. The launch, attended by Minister of Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu, ambassadors and invited community leaders, put a spotlight on fragile printed material that organisers said is difficult to find elsewhere in the region.
Among the items highlighted by Professor Matthew Spriggs of the Vanuatu National Library and Archives was a Māori‑language book published in 1857. “When we opened the box, there were only three copies, and now we can say one is here in Vanuatu. It is very special,” Spriggs told guests at the opening, underlining the rarity and importance of the acquisition. He said the library has made a deliberate decision “to be exceptional in terms of Pacific coverage,” and that adding pieces like the 1857 volume strengthens Vanuatu’s research and cultural holdings.
Organisers described the “000 Collection” as bringing together texts that document early Pacific encounters, language and history — material that has often been scattered across private collections and overseas institutions. By staging the works as a public exhibition at the National Library and Archives, the Cultural Centre aims to both preserve the books and make them accessible to scholars, students and the broader public who rarely have the chance to see such originals.
At the launch Cherol Ala, Director General of the Ministry of Education, framed the exhibition as a timely cultural response to the pervasive influence of modern technology, including artificial intelligence, on young people. She urged youth to value books as a foundational source of knowledge and self‑understanding. “Make it a place where they recognize that books are a wealth of knowledge — they shape minds, character, and guide us in understanding,” Ala said, adding that knowing one’s history is essential to planning for the future.
Ala also emphasised the role of the national archives as custodians of Vanuatu’s cultural memory, saying the institution’s holdings are important “for present and future generations.” Her comments connected the exhibition to broader educational and cultural objectives: not only conservation of rare items, but active use of archives to strengthen identity and learning in a rapidly changing information environment.
The presence of Minister Regenvanu and foreign diplomats at the opening signalled both government backing and international interest in efforts to consolidate Pacific printed heritage in Vanuatu. Organisers said the show reinforces the Cultural Centre’s mission to collect, protect and showcase materials that document the region’s past and languages, and to provide a focal point for research and public engagement.
The “000 Collection” opened this week at the National Library and Archives; organisers say the exhibition is part of an ongoing push to expand Pacific‑focused holdings and to encourage wider public appreciation of the region’s documentary heritage.
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