TWO emerging leaders have left for Belém, Brazil, to represent the Pacific region and Australia at the United Nations Climate Conference.
Rowena Macdonald and Akanisi Tuikaba were selected from a number of applicants following a call for expressions of interest put to the Pacific community in South Australia.
Macdonald has Samoan heritage while Tuikaba has roots in Fiji and Adnyamathanha which is part of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.
Their participation is part of a joint initiative between the Pacific Islands Council of South Australia (PICSA) and the Veilomani Project, a Sydney-based organisation that promotes Pacific youth leadership and climate advocacy across Australia and the region.
“This partnership between Pacific and Indigenous leaders is not just symbolic–it’s strategic,” said Tukini Tavui, Lead Spokesperson for PICSA.
“It highlights the shared responsibility and wisdom of one of the world’s oldest living cultures and the ocean nations most affected by climate change.”
In Belém, Macdonald and Tuikaba will engage with Indigenous Amazonian leaders, connecting the voices of the Pacific’s ocean guardians with those of the Amazon’s rainforest protectors.
Their discussions will focus on youth leadership, community adaptation, and traditional knowledge as central pillars of climate resilience.
“I’m honoured to bring both my cultures to this global space,” Tuikaba said.
“From the red earth of Adnyamathanha country of the Flinders Ranges to the green valleys of Namosi (Fiji), my story is one of connection, identity, and responsibility. The Pacific has always led with courage–and this is our moment to speak for the ocean and the earth together.’’