Fiji

Please provide us with your views on the state of peace in the country you will represent at the One Young World Summit

My country Fiji has been going through a sustained era of peace for a decade now. The law and order is maintained by the State to ensure that the citizens of Fiji enjoy the peace and security they deserve. Fiji is a diverse multi-racial country whereby people of all ethnic groups and backgrounds enjoy cordial relationship in their communities. Despite the nation having experienced political and racial strife in the past, the citizens of Fiji always had a strong sense of identification with each other. This is one of the fundamental reasons as to why the country was able to achieve sustained peace. Culture and tradition also plays a hegemonic role in maintaining tranquility in our Fijian societies. Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi once said, “There is no path to peace; peace is the path”. Hence, a culturally diverse country like Fiji aspires to achieve peace through reconciliation and respect for all faiths and ethnic groups. It is also the goodwill of the Fijian people that has bestowed peace in this country.

How do you think your work and/or activism contribute to a sustainable peace?

One of our major areas of work is advocacy for multi-culturalism, anti-racism, enhancing democracy, promotion of human rights and good governance. At the Citizens’ Constitutional Forum, we created advocacy through sports in the secondary schools during the international day marking anti-racism in March this year. We also organize national forums and community workshops where we fervently advocate for and disseminate the tenets of multi-culturalism, peace and harmony and anti-discrimination in order to decrease the potential for ethnic mistrust and conflict in our societies. Furthermore, whilst creating awareness, I link the thread of how multi-culturalism and anti-discrimination in our communities inevitably leads to change, development, sustained peace and progress in our country. I have also delivered addresses at important seminars and forums on the critical role education plays in our societies as a tool for sustainable peace, change and development. At this juncture, my focus is on holding seminars with youths in the respective districts. Youths as potent agents of change in our societies have the capacity to bring about the desired outcomes if molded and guided in the right direction.