Sydney hosts the inaugural Pacific Connect Forum
(Photo) The Hon. John Ajaka, President of the NSW Legislative Council, hosts the Pacific delegation at NSW Parliament House on the eve of the inaugural Pacific Connect Forum.
The International Centre for Democratic Partnerships (ICDP) and Global Access Partners (GAP) are pleased to be hosting the inaugural Pacific Connect Forum at NSW Parliament House on Thursday 6 September.
The Forum is the culmination of ICDP’s yearlong objective of establishing and strengthening Australian and Pacific people-to-people links through a series of meetings, workshops and dialogues held in the region under the banner of Pacific Connect. Through these engagements, ICDP identifies and works with key current and emerging leaders from the Pacific and Australia to help facilitate longer-term connections.
Over 40 Pacific Islanders from a range of sectors from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia will be attending the Forum today to discuss connectivity as an ‘enabler of opportunity’ in the Pacific.
ICDP is fortunate to have the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Defence, and the Hon. Afamasaga Rico Tupai, Minister for Communications and IT from Samoa, and Michelle Rowland MP, Australian Shadow Minister for Communications, attending, along with other influential government and business representatives from Australia and the Pacific.
The programme for the day-long event will feature ministerial keynote addresses, updates by Pacific Connect Network Dialogue participants, group discussions and cultural presentations.
Extra-curricular activities for Pacific guests, organised by ICDP, include visits to several prominent Sydney innovation hubs, along with mentoring and coaching opportunities for emerging leaders.
Some of the Forum guests will also be attending the Global Access Partners 9th Annual Economic Summit on Digital Trade on Friday 7 September to contribute to its broader dialogue on Australia’s digital economy and interact with Australian government and business networks.
Tina Briggs is the programme coordinator for the International Centre for Democratic Partnerships. She has extensive experience in project management across government, private, and not for profit sectors and has worked in international development with the Kenyan and Botswanan Red Cross.
