The launch in Port Moresby also featured the unveiling of the event's official t-shirts, which will serve as the main source of fundraising for athletes competing at the Games from December 4 to 15. 

Trukai Industries, the leading manufacturer and distributor of rice and stockfeed in Papua New Guinea, is sponsoring the PNGOC with 100,000 t-shirts this year.

Syd Yates, PNGOC's chairman of fundraising, described the Fun Run, which will take place on June 11, as an important event that greatly assists in developing Papua New Guinea's elite athletes through training and competition at international events at home and abroad.

"The PNG Olympic Committee greatly relies on funds raised through the sale of Trukai Fun Run shirts to support our Team PNG athletes competing at the Pacific, Commonwealth and the Olympic Games," he said.

The Trukai Fun Run t-shirts, which were modelled by Team PNG athletes and school children at the launch, will be sold to organisations during auctions in Port Moresby and Lae.

Those who purchase the t-shirts will have the opportunity to put their own logo on them and then donate to a school or institution of their choice.

Schools can re-sell the t-shirts at a price not more than 10 Papua New Guinea Kina (£2.57/$3.16/€2.98) to those interested in participating in the Fun Run.

The shirt auctions will be held in Lae and Port Moresby on March 8 and 9 respectively and interested organisations can contact Trukai Industries or the PNGOC to register.

This year marks the 18th for Trukai Industries as the major sponsor of the event, which it has helped to spread to various areas of Papua New Guinea.

Maybellyn Fernandes, Trukai’s national marketing manager, has called on local organisations across the country to partner with both the PNGOC and Trukai to host the Fun Run in their local towns.

She also urged the public and the private sector to attend the fundraising auctions in Lae and Port Moresby.

"The auctions will provide organisations the opportunity to support our fundraising drive through the bidding of Fun Run t-shirts for selected schools," Fernandes said.

"The t-shirts have been specifically designed so that organisations can place their brand on the front-centre-most section of the shirts."

Papua New Guinea swimmer Ryan Pini, a four-time Olympian, thanked Trukai for their support of the Fun Run and appealed to organisations to purchase t-shirts in support of the country’s athletes.

"Through your support, Papua New Guinea athletes such as myself were able to represent our country on many occasions, striving to better ourselves and influence positive change with our experience," he said.

The Fun Run is the biggest sport-for-all event in Papua New Guinea.

While the funds raised in the auctions go to the nation's athletes, schools that sell the t-shirts keep the money for their own projects.

The t-shirts also carry awareness messages, which in 2017 is a campaign by Trukai called "I Love My Trukai".