Fiji has officially submitted a bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, proposing Savusavu as the venue for the event. This announcement coincides with the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit, where over 70 media professionals from seven countries have gathered in Alofi, Niue. The decision regarding the host country for 2026 is expected to be announced later this week.
The summit, which kicked off today, has already seen participants involved in four pre-summit workshops. Discussions have focused on key topics such as enhancing national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and addressing emerging climate and environmental challenges in the Pacific.
One of the highlighted aspects of this year’s pre-summit is the “Women in Media” workshop, organized by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation. This initiative aims to promote gender balance in media leadership and representation, attracting over 15 participants from various organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will center around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” with discussions aimed at exploring how Pacific media can adapt to technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, underscored PINA’s significant role in fostering regional media resilience and upholding journalistic integrity in the face of these challenges.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the role of artificial intelligence in journalism and the critical importance of protecting press freedoms. The summit will conclude with the unveiling of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.