Organisers of a conference in Fiji of more than 700 civil society representatives from all over the world say they hope it sparks a global movement to protect the Pacific.
The 2017 CIVICUS World Assembly in Fiji in December was the first time the World Alliance for Citizen Participation's premiere event was hosted in the Pacific in the 23 years since it was created. Photo: CIVICUS/Facebook Page
The purpose of the meeting of the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, or CIVICUS, was to explore the frontlines of the fight against climate change.
CIVICUS secretary general Danny Sriskantharajah said some visiting delegates had no knowledge of Pacific issues going into the meeting.
He said hearing from regional delegates had inspired them to champion protecting the Pacific ocean and its people.
"What we need to do is preserve you know the biodiversity the stability of the ocean as well as the cultures and peoples of this part of the world and so the resistance that I heard a lot here is you know building a people's movement here in the Pacific that is linked in with, and in solidarity with people's movements around the world. So that we really do protect the Pacific and what is so special about it," said Danny Sriskantharajah.