Fiji has officially put forward its proposal to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, with Savusavu being suggested as the location for the event. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven countries in Alofi, Niue, where the 7th PINA Media Summit is currently taking place.
The host country for the 2026 summit is expected to be announced later this week. The summit, which begins today, has already included four pre-summit workshops where participants have discussed critical topics such as strengthening national media associations, public finance management reporting, and addressing the emerging climate and environmental challenges in the Pacific region.
A highlight of this year’s pre-summit is the “Women in Media” workshop, led by femLINKpacific with support from The Asia Foundation. This initiative aims to promote gender equality in media leadership and representation and 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,” focusing on how media in the Pacific can adapt to both technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, underscored PINA’s significance in shaping regional media and upholding journalistic integrity amidst these evolving challenges.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the implications of AI in journalism and the necessity of preserving press freedoms. The summit is set to wrap up with the release of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.