Fiji has formally submitted a proposal to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, suggesting Savusavu as the potential location for the event. This announcement emerges as more than 70 media professionals from seven nations gather in Alofi, Niue, for the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit.
The decision regarding the host country for the 2026 summit will be made later this week. The summit, which commenced today, has already featured four pre-summit workshops addressing critical topics such as enhancing national media associations, public finance reporting, and tackling emerging climate and environmental issues in the Pacific.
A significant aspect of this year’s pre-summit activities is the “Women in Media” workshop, facilitated by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation. This initiative aims to improve gender balance within 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.” Discussions will focus on how Pacific media can adapt to technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, General Secretary of the Fijian Media Association, highlighted PINA’s crucial role in shaping regional media and upholding journalistic integrity amid various challenges.
Throughout the week, attendees will engage in dialogues surrounding the involvement of AI in journalism and the essential task of protecting press freedoms. The summit will culminate in the release of the “State of the Pacific Media Report” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.