This year, the FMF Nadi Bula Festival serves as a significant platform for young women to spotlight pressing social and health issues in Fiji, particularly affecting the youth. The festival, running from July 19th to the 26th, is designed to go beyond traditional beauty pageantry by emphasizing advocacy for key concerns, echoing similar movements in other festivals across the country.
Olive Fong, the Chairperson of the Nadi Bula Festival, emphasized that contestants are diligently preparing by focusing on the health and social issues close to their hearts. Contestants like 22-year-old Arieta Naqai from PSH Hospital are campaigning for greater awareness surrounding non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and how healthy lifestyle choices can mitigate associated risks. “We can prevent non-communicable diseases through general check-ups, eating less fatty foods, and exercising regularly to combat this disease,” she asserts, aligning with broader community health goals seen at similar festivals, such as the recent Hibiscus Festival, where contestants highlighted mental health and health education.
Nineteen-year-old Shahista Singh, Miss Smugglers Cove, advocates against drug abuse, stressing the importance of wise friendship choices to avoid future regrets. Meanwhile, Adi Oripa Naulago, representing Sharma’s Music Centre, is passionately raising awareness of Rheumatic Heart Disease, advocating for early detection through regular health check-ups. “My message is for young people to go get checked as you could be having RHD,” she encourages.
The festival’s outreach includes recent community initiatives, like a clean-up campaign along Nadi Town, reflecting a commitment to community service and environmental stewardship. This proactive approach resonates with recent trends within Fiji’s festival culture, where contestants use their platforms to effect real change, as seen with Esiteri Salele’s participation in the Nasinu Town Festival, where mental health and family values were highlighted.
The Nadi Bula Festival’s focus on advocacy and community efforts demonstrates the potential of young leaders to effect positive change in society. Like the efforts seen during previous festivals, including the Hibiscus and Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North, this year’s event embodies a spirit of hope and collective responsibility in addressing urgent social issues. Local initiatives and the unwavering spirit of these young women signify a constructive path forward for Fiji’s youth, underscoring the importance of community engagement and awareness in overcoming health and social challenges.
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