Pacific Media Institute plans Majuro communications summit

Taiwan Ambassador to the Marshall Islands, Steve C.C. Hsia, center, presents a $20,000 check in support of a Summit on Democracy to be held in Majuro early next year to representatives of the Pacific Media Institute Daniel Kramer, left, and Giff Johnson. Joining them in support of the initiative are, from left back: Nitijela Speaker Kenneth Kedi, President David Kabul, and presidential adviser Fred J. Pedro. (HILARY HOSIA)

Majuro will be the venue for a first-of-its-kind Pacific summit on communications and democracy early in the new year, organizers announced recently. The Marshall Islands Summit on Democracy: Public Engagement, Communications and the Media is scheduled for Feb. 23-27, 2023 on Majuro Atoll, capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The Pacific Media Institute, a locally incorporated non-profit organization, is hosting the unusual conference, which will bring together the nation’s political and government leadership; national media executives; students at College of the Marshall Islands and the Majuro campus of the University of the South Pacific; and senior journalists from across the Pacific.

In a show of strong support for the summit, the Republic of China (Taiwan) Embassy donated $20,000 to support hosting of the Summit on Democracy. Taiwan Ambassador Steve C.C. Hsia presented a check for this amount to Pacific Media Institute representatives last week at the office of Marshall Islands President David Kabua who, together with Marshall Islands Parliament Speaker Kenneth Kedi, has endorsed the summit.

“We greatly appreciate the ROC/Taiwan’s strong support of democracy and its willingness to commit funding in support of the success of the next year’s Summit on Democracy,” said PMI representative and Marshall Islands Journal editor Giff Johnson. “This is the first media freedom advocacy initiative of its kind in the Marshall Islands.”

The Pacific Media Institute launched Project Democracy this year, a multi-event program to encourage voting and active political debate.

“Our Constitution’s Bill of Rights enshrines media freedom and freedom of expression,” said Kabua. “These are important rights for all of us to enjoy and protect. Because of this, I am happy to lend my support to Pacific Media Institute for the Summit on Democracy with government leaders and representatives of the media in early 2023. Greater understanding and appreciation of these important issues is fundamental to sustaining our democracy.”

“I am delighted to endorse the initiative by the Pacific Media Institute to organize the first Summit on Democracy: Public Engagement, Communications and the Media,” added Kedi. “Media freedom is an essential part of any functioning democracy. I appreciate our media reaching out to RMI government leaders to discuss these important issues, particularly in an election year.”

The summit will focus on the role a free press plays in strengthening democracy in the Pacific Islands. The summit’s tentative program includes a vigorous discussion on democracy and the news media with elected national leaders, breakout sessions on challenges facing the news media in the Marshall Islands; and workshops for government and NGO public information officers and students.

The Pacific Media Institute, which will mark its first anniversary in February 2023, is aiming for the following outcomes from the summit:

-Increased awareness and acknowledgement of the fundamental role of the news media in a democracy by government leaders, with an emphasis on the national election to be held in late 2023.

-Training for government and NGO public information officers in writing, deadlines, and understanding what is news and what is not.

-Raised youth and community awareness of the important role of media, democracy advocacy, and election participation through PMI’s Project Democracy outreach events during and after the summit featuring regional media experts participating in the summit. (PMI)