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Tag: Pacific


by Jasmine Koria Miki Magasiva’s 2025 dramady TINA impacted me in a way not only befitting of its simple, bold, Samoan title, but also in a manner that no other Samoan film had managed to do yet: It forced me to just be still. The film takes its title from the Gagana Samoa word which …

TINA: An Ode to Our One Common Family (Film Review) Read More »

A conversation between Commonwealth Correspondent Jasmine Koria and her Commonwealth Youth Forum International Taskforce Colleague, Johannes Uili Johannes Uili is a man on many missions. He is an educator, youth community practitioner, public servant, sportsperson, international development volunteer and, when we first met in October 2024, he was adding ‘Member of the Commonwealth Youth Forum …

Different Journeys Towards a Common Future: A Conversation with Youth Advocate and Educator Johannes Uili Read More »

by Jasmine Koria Despite its distance from both Europe and the continental United States, the Commonwealth Pacific has consistently yielded small but high-achieving cohorts of United Kingdom (UK) postgraduate scholars over the last few years. Samoa, in particular, has been privileged to put forward between two and four candidates annually to study in the UK. …

Commonwealth Scholarships: Closing Equity Gaps by Sharing Our Commonwealth Read More »

by Jasmine Koria The Commonwealth Youth Forum in Apia, Samoa opened on October 21 with an engaging Plenary Session on Leveraging Youth Leadership for Strengthening Democracies and Youth Engagement and Participation. Moderated by Prof. Luis Franceshi, Assistant Secretary General of the Commonwealth, and coordinated by Jasmine Koria of the Commonwealth Youth Forum International Taskforce, the …

Leveraging Youth Leadership for Strengthening Democracies and Youth Engagement and Participation Read More »

Photo credit: Shelley Addison-Bell by Shelley Addison-Bell, Communications and Brand Lead, Ocean Youth Working Group The waves of change are being led by youth all around the world who are echoing the urgent call for action against the climate crisis. The Ocean Youth Working Group of the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN) hosted a …

Diving into Action: Empowering Ocean Youths for a Sustainable Future Read More »

by Shelley Addison-bell, Ocean Youth Working Group Communications and Brand Lead Photo source: Shelley Addison-bell (Author) The world’s oceans are filled with life, from vibrant coral reefs to shallow shores. Beneath its surface is a crucial hero of marine ecosystems: seagrass. For World Seagrass Day, on March 1, we came together to recognize the vital …

Celebrating World Seagrass Day: Sustaining Our Oceans for Future Generations Read More »

by Cody Mitchell The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has always struggled to meet recruitment and retention targets. However, in light of an increasingly volatile geostrategic situation, these challenges are increasingly acute. The news broke recently that the Australian Government was considering “mothballing” one or two of the Royal Australian Navy’s eight Anzac-class frigates—the backbone of …

Australia’s military in recruitment crisis amidst growing global insecurity Read More »

by Srishti Negi “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” – Shakespeare opined in the late 16th century, writing these memorable and insightful lines in his play ‘As You Like It’. And this dictum for ages immemorial has, consciously or unconsciously, represented the international stage at large. Now the …

United States, China & Others – The Rise of a new Cold War Read More »

Dr. Mohsen Gul, Technical Lead, Strategic Intelligence Hub, UNDP in Asia and the Pacific Sushil Ram, Youth Development Advisor, Commonwealth Secretariat In Asia-Pacific policy-making’s vast and dynamic terrain, innovation is not just a buzzword but a critical imperative. Policy innovation, in this context, represents the delicate art of crafting strategies that are as adaptable as they are robust …

Crafting the Future: Strategic Intelligence Hub and Policy Experimentation in the Asia-Pacific for Youth Entrepreneurship Read More »