Fiji has made an official bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, proposing Savusavu as the event’s location. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven countries in Alofi, Niue, for the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit.
The decision regarding the host country for 2026 is anticipated to be revealed later this week. The summit began today, following four pre-summit workshops that participants have already engaged in. Key topics covered include the enhancement of national media associations, public finance management reporting, and the impact of emerging climate and environmental issues in the Pacific.
One significant highlight of this year’s pre-summit is the “Women in Media” workshop, organized by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation, aimed at promoting gender equality in media leadership and representation. This session has attracted over 15 participants from various organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will revolve around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” with discussions focusing on how Pacific media can adapt to technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, underscored the importance of PINA in guiding regional media and preserving 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 need to protect press freedoms. The summit will conclude with the unveiling of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.