As the result of a journalism competition that concluded this week, ten journalists from the Pacific island region have been chosen to travel to and report from this year’s UN climate conference taking place in Bonn, Germany (COP23, 6 – 17 November).

The ten outstanding journalists from print, on-line and radio/TV will receive sponsored participation in the conference, media training at the prestigious DW Akademie and access to UN and other experts.

The Pacific island journalism competition reflects the important role the small island developing State of Fiji will be playing at the 23rd Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - the official title of the conference.

Fiji will be presiding over COP23 and the Fijian Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, will undertake the key role of COP President on behalf of all countries attending.

The competition was generously funded by the German Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nick Nuttall, Director of Communications of the UNFCCC and Spokesperson for COP23, said:

“We are impressed by the high standard of the entries to the competition and would have liked to invite everyone who submitted their work under the competition, but that is unfortunately not possible. We’re now looking forward to welcoming the 10 winners in Bonn in November.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for financially supporting this competition, and to the Fijian COP23 Presidency for its advice and getting the message out about the competition in the Pacific region. The Presidency, the government of Germany and the UNFCCC were concerned that the costs of getting to and from Bonn would have been prohibitive for many journalists from that region.”

“We all acknowledged that it was vital to have media from that location here to report to their publics and witness the negotiations, the rich array of Global Climate Action events taking place and the cultural activities that surround such conferences,” he added.

The 10 participants were selected by a judging committee consisting of two members of the UNFCCC; two from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communications branch; and two independent judges representing the Fijian COP23 Presidency. Their decision of the jury is final.

The jury selected six winners from print and online, two from radio and two from TV.

The winners are:

Print and Online

Ofani Eremae (Solomon Star, Solomon Islands)
Iliesa Tora (The Nuku’alofa Times, Tonga)

Lani Wendt Young (Samoa Planet, Samoa)

Jared Koli (The Island Sun, Solomon Islands)

Lice Movono (The Fiji Times, Fiji)

Anita Roberts (Vanuatu Daily Post, Vanuatu)

Radio

Mereoni Mili (Wansolwara – University of the South Pacific, Fiji)

Georgina Kekea (Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, Solomon Islands)

TV

Elenoa Turagaiviu (FBC News, Fiji)

Florence Jonduo (EMTV, Papua New Guinea)

More information can be found on the relevant DW Akademie web page here.

Photo Credits: Flickr/birdyartworks

Dear friends, brothers and sisters,

Distinguished organizers and participants of this important Interfaith Forum on Environmental Protection,

We are delighted to convey this message in order to assure you that we join you in prayer as you recognize the support of the world's religions in addressing climate change and affirming the protection of God's creation.

As religious leaders, all of us share an immense - and indeed a sacred vocation - responsibility to hold nations and corporations, but also communities and individuals accountable for the way we are treating our planet.

There can be no reason or excuse for indifference or inaction. Today, all of us are well aware of the intimate and inseparable connections of the ecological crisis to the global problems of poverty, migration and unrest.

How, then, can any nation decline the welfare of its citizens? Or how can any industry defend the exploitation of its consumers? And how can any person-of-good-will doubt the ethical implications of his or her lifestyle?

Dear friends, let us remind our leaders of the vital importance and urgency of implementing the Paris Agreement. Let us remind our nations that the earth is not a possession but a partner on our journey toward peace and prosperity.

Above all, let us remind everyone that God's creation is not a commodity but rather a gift that we are called to sustain and share with the most vulnerable and marginalized as well as to safeguard for the sake of our children.

May God bless you all in your deliberations and decisions.