ON the Tuesday of Sept. 16, 1975, the red, white, yellow and black flag of Papua New Guinea was raised and flew proudly for the first time. The journey of the country to find its place among the sovereign peoples of the world was a daunting one. But the way forward, post-independence from Australia, proved to be even more challenging, fraught with its fair share of tribulations and triumphs that made the telling all the more worthwhile.

Papua New Guinea's 49th National Day continued to be a date marked with gratitude for the forebears and forerunners that fought for the cause of freedom and democracy, and that rightfully deserved to be honored. Within those 49 years, the citizens and leaders of this resilient state have made positive strides in the fields of health care, education, good governance and infrastructure, among other sectors, as attested by Prime Minister James Marape in an official statement on the nation's National Information Centre media platform.