Transcript
The Young Pacific Leaders forum was first held in 2013.
The aim is to bring the region's "leaders of tomorrow" together to empower them to be a part of something great - to have a voice and to make a difference through positive contributions in their respective countries.
But one such young leader, Yolanda Joab Mori, from the Federated States of Micronesia says young people in her country are fighting to find their voice and highlight their needs.
Ms Mori, who is also head of the NGO Island Hope in the FSM, aimed to leave Fiji better equipped to help young Micronesians.
"These kinds of spaces are so important because young people, it's hard for us to have a voice and to break into spaces of leadership. So platforms like this make it so much more attainable and highlights the needs of young people. Those are some of the challenges we face as young people back home so being able to be a part of a network like this will really help translate into leadership back home."
Yolanda Joab Mori also hopes to engage the young people in the FSM to effect positive change in their communities.
Samoa's Nathan Chong-Nee says young people like him who have a mixed ethnic background often have difficulty connecting with their culture.
He says he hopes the Pacific Youth Leaders conference in Fiji will help him find positive ways to contribute to his people.
Mr Chong-Nee has an Australian-European mother and says he was born in Australia, raised in New Zealand but resides in Samoa.
"I guess I'm passionate about our indigenous knowledges. How they remain relevant especially for people like me of mixed backgrounds? How do people like me remain connected to their culture? How does their culture remain relevant to them? How do they remain included?
Samoa's Nathan Chong-Nee and other young leaders have been challenged on issues like climate change that threaten their existence.
Fiji's Assistant Minister for Youth, Alipate Nagata, warns more work is needed on the threat of climate change saying it affects the region's economic and social development.
He says Fiji and its neighbours constantly live with the fear that one day their country will be taken by the sea.
Mr Nagata urged the young leaders to educate their communities and help sustain their resources.
Papua New Guinea youth leader Salome Aba says she intends to take what she learns at the conference and apply it to her teaching work in the village of Simbu.
Ms Aba says she also wants to share her knowledge and classroom experiences with other teachers in rural PNG.
"We got a grant of 38,000 and did a teacher training back in my village in Simbu. So we did train up about 65 elementary school teachers. I got volunteers from St Joseph International School teachers with me to conduct the trainings."
Salome Aba says the forum provides grants so participants can undertake their work back in their home countries.
Alipate Nagata urged the participants to find ways to positively influence individuals, organizations and issues, and contribute to the common good of the people.
