Fiji has officially expressed its interest in hosting the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, with Savusavu being proposed as the location. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven nations in Alofi, Niue, for the 7th PINA Media Summit.
The decision regarding the host country for the 2026 event is anticipated later this week. The current summit, which started today, has already featured four pre-summit workshops focused on key topics such as enhancing national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and addressing emerging climate and environmental issues affecting the Pacific.
A standout event this year is the “Women in Media” workshop, organized by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation, which aims to promote gender balance 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 planned discussions 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 these challenges.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the implications of AI in journalism and the essential task of protecting press freedoms. The summit will culminate with the publication of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.