PACNEWS ONE, 23 SEPTEMBER 2026
In this bulletin: 1. PACIFIC — This is the biggest attendance we have ever had at a PINA conference: President Kalafi Moala2. PACIFIC — “We may not always agree — and that’s how it should work,” says
Community
PNG communities lead conservation and climate resilience efforts
COMMUNITY-LED conservation projects in remote areas of Papua New Guinea are receiving further technical and capacity-building
Fiji delegation engages community in Palau
FIJI’S visiting delegation in Palau has met with members of the Fijian community in Koror to hear about their experiences, concerns and contributions to ties between the two
Fiji’s 70-year-old Hibiscus festival returns to Albert Park
ESTABLISHED in 1956 in Suva, Fiji, the Hibiscus Festival returned to Albert Park after eleven years away as the country’s oldest and largest festival marked its seventieth
Samoa’s former prime minister calls for Pacific governments to share power with citizens
SAMOA’S former prime minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa has called for governments across the Pacific to create formal platforms where citizens, non-government organisations and governments can work
Theologian calls for education rooted in community, ethics and self-review
A PACIFIC theologian and educator has called for a fundamental rethink of education systems in the region, saying they must move beyond employment, imported standards and narrow disciplines to become community-based,
Shangri-La Fiji Inspires the Next Generation Through Chinese Cultural Exchange
More than 100 Coral Coast students experienced the richness of Chinese arts and traditions through a cultural exchange programme
Fiji’s drug crisis forces new rehab push
FIJI'S Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka officially opened the Salvation Army’s new Drug and Alcohol Recovery Programme facility as part of the country’s wider fight against a worsening crisis.
Cruise tourism returns to Yasawa-i-Rara, highlighting a model for remote tourism growth
Cruise tourism is bringing fresh income and renewed optimism to Yasawa-i-Rara in Fiji’s Yasawa Group, as improvedmaritime access
Pacific in crisis mode: Community approach needed
IF the Pacific is to come to grips with the drug crisis, it is going to take a "whole of community" approach – because the
Navitilevu Bay’s restoration: Deadwood cleared, mangroves thriving
RESTORATION efforts in Fiji’s Navitilevu Bay in the Ra Province have transformed a previously deadwood-strewn site into an
Charting a course: strategic vision for sustainable communities
THE Soko ni Nuinui (Voyage of Hope), launched earlier this month, outlined a strategic framework for a
From cockpit to cap and gown: Graduands share stories of grit, family and giving back
AT the University of the South Pacific’s graduation, an MBA graduate who flies for Fiji Airways and a young
Joint ownership model elevates Yasawa Islands Tourism
A NEW joint-ownership model between local landowners and investors marks a pioneering approach to tourism
Community-driven approach to sustainable Tourism in Vanua Levu
GOVERNMENT projects and community engagement efforts are ongoing in Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island, but progress is slow, with hopes for better coordination and infrastructure
People before profit
SOLOMON Islands is reshaping its tourism sector, putting people, culture, and sustainability at the heart of
Flip the script
FOR decades, in Maumi Village in Tailevu, about an hour's drive from Fiji's capital,
Guardians of the valley: Restoring ecosystems in Kouaoua
A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN environmental initiative is underway in Kouaoua, New Caledonia, aimed at mitigating the
Naidiri Marine Biodiversity Park: A Small Village Making a Big Impact
On a quiet afternoon in 2009, after a game of touch rugby, Manoa Duwai sat down to eat. In front of him was a bowl of rice and cup of
Faith-informed voices shape climate relocation decisions
THE Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) has successfully involved community representatives directly in high-level climate mobility discussions, moving beyond just speaking for
Water foundation donates $301,000 to local charities
THE FIJI Water Foundation allocated over FJ$301,000 to 62 local charities through its 2025 Wonderful Giving program, marking a significant year of employee-led philanthropy to strengthen
TE RAN AE E MANO, E MOA MAN TE MWEENGA (Safe Water Starts at Home): “How Kiritimati’s Nei Baneawa Women Are Leading the Way”
On Kiritimati Island, clean water is more than a basic need – it’s a community effort.
A new chapter for Fiji’s classrooms
FOR more than a decade, Fiji Book Drive has been quietly transforming classrooms across the islands bringing stories, knowledge, and hope to thousands of
