Civil society groups in the Pacific hope that NGOs from all over the world gain a better understanding of issues like climate change this week.
Aneej Deputy Director, Leo Atakpu planting of Mangroves at Korova community in Suva, Fiji to curb coastal as Civicus, 2017 gets underway Photo: Twitter/ Leo Atakpu
Hundreds of delegates are in Fiji for CIVICUS, the global meeting of civil society organisations.
It kicks off this evening with a key note address from Timor's Leste's Ramos Horta.
In the lead-up the Pacific umbrella group for NGOs, PIANGO, had been emphasizing climate change and had some of the delegates planting mangroves on the coast near Suva.
One of those taking part was Sue Fuh from the Asian Democracy Network.
"It's definitely an eye opener for me, I am from Korea, and climate change, I don't think it affects us as very closely as it does in the Pacific. So kind of seeing first hand what climate change means and does for a lot of these communities on the coast, it's definitely been a good experience."