Celebrations will kick off Saturday July 30 with an opening ceremony at City Park at 7am, which will include flag-raising and a cultural presentation.

Festivities will then move to Graham McCann Oval in Hanwood from 11am to 6pm for a provincial soccer tournament, which will feature teams from each of Vanuatu's provinces competing against one another for an inaugural cup.

The day will also feature a sausage sizzle, as well as traditional Vanuatu song and dance.

The celebrations will conclude on Sunday July 31 with the 'Day of Thanksgiving' combined church service to be held from 1pm at City Park.

Event organiser Jenelle Joseph said she collaborated with members of the Ni-Van community to help make the event possible.

Mrs Joseph, who is the director of charity group Tanna Projects which provides support and leadership opportunities to those living on Vanuatu's Tanna Island, said everyone from the Griffith community was welcome to attend the events.

"We've all collaborated together and decided to put on this celebration day to show who we are and a little bit of the culture," she said.

Mrs Joseph said she had been helping Ni-Van people find work in Griffith and provide for their families back home since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the workers were both thankful to Australia for providing them with employment opportunities and proud of what their home country had achieved with its independence.

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"Being a nation that can have their own governance and make their own decisions was really important to them," Mrs Joseph said.

"It's important to celebrate the relationship between Australia and Vanuatu and to get behind the Vanuatu people here in Griffith."

Farm engineering technician Wilkinson Moses Royel said he was looking forward to holding the celebrations for his home country. He also welcomed Ni-Van communities from surrounding areas to attend the events, as well as people from other Pacific Island communities and all Griffith residents.

"This day is really special for Vanuatu people, it means a lot," Mr Royel said. "It's traditionally a time when the Ni-Van people come together and celebrate together."

Mr Royel said he would like to make the independence day celebrations a permanent annual fixture for the Griffith community, and for other communities in the Riverina.

"I would hope we can do it every year, because Griffith has been a second home to a lot of people in Vanuatu," he explained.

"We will be having a lot of activities and it will be very fun. I welcome everyone."

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