I’m writing this from Sigatoka, Fiji where we have just wrapped up 4 days of remarkable workshop with 50 Pacific youth from 13 Pacific Island nations. I’ve been to quite a few workshops in the last couple of years, but this one felt different.
It felt transformational. Often the Pacific is portrayed as the victim, as the islands that will drown, and that there is little hope for them. However over the course of the workshop a new portrayal was born. With some of the region’s best organisers in the room – from countries as far ranging as Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, the Solomon Islands, Micronesia to Tonga – we had the brains and experience to dream big and ambitious.
Things began with Moving Planet planning for September 24th. In Nauru the goal is to get the whole country to go without oil for the day, and at the sametime have a massive bike rally around the island. But there’s just one catch. There are hardly any bikes on Nauru. So over the coming months we’ve got to work out a way to fill shipping containers with ready to ride bikes for Nauru in time for September 24th.
Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, where deforestation is a massive issue, our team will be working in the provinces to mobilise indigenous peoples into their forests in a symbolic gesture to show that forests are for the future and not the chainsaw. They’ll also be mobilizing in the capital, Port Moresby with a massive bike rally through the streets.
We also dived into longer-term planning for mobilising the Pacific region over the coming three years. This is where things were remarkable. It is all too clear that world Governments are failing the Pacific on climate change mitigation. There were emotional scenes as participants expressed their distress and fear for their homes, land and cultures. We were at a turning point – either to remain victims, or to step up and take power back for Pacific youth. It’s too early to release the details of the coming 3 years, but in a nutshell, the mission is to mobilise thousands of Pacific people in direct action to the source of emissions.
There’s a long road ahead to get there, but 50 participants have left the workshop venue today with this mission ahead of them. This year alone, we aim to reach out to 1000 Pacific youth with climate education and leadership skills.
Pacific youth can’t reclaim their future and power alone. They need you. They need your solidarity and feverish organising to turn the story around. Please understand that we are deeply greatful for all you do, but it’s the reality that we need more. Check out moving-planet.org for a call to action this September 24th.