Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told hundreds gathered in Nadi for the 100th anniversary of the TISI Sangam that the organisation’s contribution to Fiji has always reached far beyond classrooms and buildings, rooted instead in service and community action. Speaking at the centenary event, Rabuka praised the Sangam’s generations of graduates, volunteers and leaders for stepping forward “in moments of national trial” and for consistently supporting the most vulnerable without expectation.
“Its impact has been felt across generations, especially in moments of national trial, through the commitment of its professionals and its readiness to act where the need is greatest,” he said. Rabuka highlighted the Sangam’s record of prompt and compassionate response in hardship, arguing that national resilience is built not by institutions alone but by “people who step forward in service.” He said the Sangam’s work has “strengthened communities through action rather than words” and reminded Fiji that unity is sustained by everyday acts of care, responsibility and shared duty.
Framing the centenary as forward-looking, the prime minister described the 100-year milestone as “not an ending, but a beginning.” He told the gathering he was confident the Sangam’s greatest contributions may still lie ahead, urging younger members to take up the mantle with a sense of responsibility to the nation. “To our young people, the responsibility now placed in your hands is profound,” Rabuka said, urging them to apply their education, skills and values “toward the collective advancement of our nation.”
Rabuka also linked the Sangam’s growth to the Government’s broader priorities, asserting that the organisation’s emphasis on education, faith and community aligns with national goals of sustainable growth, social unity and opportunity for all. He said the first century of the Sangam built “firm foundations” and called on the next generation to strengthen bonds that unite Fiji, so progress benefits everyone.
The prime minister paid tribute to the pioneers whose resilience and values established the Sangam and expressed hope in the promise of youth who will “write the next chapters of Fiji’s story.” He concluded with a call for intergenerational and intercultural bridge-building: “Let the century ahead be one of bridge–building across generations and communities, so that we move forward together with no one left behind.”
The address in Nadi adds a national political endorsement to the Sangam’s centenary, reinforcing its profile as a community institution whose remit extends beyond education into social support and civic service. Rabuka’s remarks come as the organisation celebrates a milestone that its leaders and members say marks both a record of past achievement and a renewed charge to contribute to Fiji’s future development.
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