Introduction: Reconnecting with Our Pacific Soul
Bula vinaka, talofa lava, malo e lelei, halo olgeta – warm Pacific greetings to you all. Esteemed leaders, respected elders, fellow academics, youth representatives, and civil society champions – thank you for the honor of addressing you today.
We gather here in Honiara, alongside the Pacific Islands Forum meetings, in a spirit of reflection and unity. Our task is profound: to ask, “Where is our Pasifika development soul?” and how might we netweave it back into our policies and vision. The concept of netweaving speaks to interconnectedness – re-threading the broken strands of modern development with the fibers of our indigenous Pasifika values into a stronger whole.
In this journey of dialogue, let us ground ourselves in humility and gratitude. I acknowledge the traditional guardians of this land and honor the ancestors who voyaged by the stars, living in harmony with land and sea. May their wisdom guide our discussions. This gathering is more than an academic exercise; it is a pilgrimage of the spirit – a chance to reconnect with a long-neglected spiritual core of Pacific development.
Over the past 60 years since independence, we Pacific peoples have built nations and fostered regional solidarity. Yet too often our development strategies mirrored Western models. We measured progress by GDP and adopted foreign systems of governance and education, chasing a “good life” defined by others. In the process – often unconsciously – we buried or sidelined the wisdom that guided us for over 3,000 years We must pause and ask: what have we lost by doing so? What is the cost of development that accelerates our economies but hollows out our soul? Around the world there is a dawning recognition that something is missing in the modern paradigm – even Western voices speak of a crisis of meaning, societies “running on empty”.
If that is true for those with centuries in that model, how much more should we, with just decades of immersion, re-examine our path? Our goal today is not to blame Western approaches, nor to romanticize a past before modernity, but to seek balance. We must find a visionary Pacific development pathway that harmonizes modern knowledge with Pasifika languages, values, and ethics. In essence, how can we reclaim the Pasifika development soul that nourished our people for generations, and weave it into our plans for the future? How do we embed our Pacific spirit into the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, into the Blue Pacific agenda, into the emerging Ocean of Peace framework – so that these initiatives are not just words on paper, but living expressions of who we are?
Let us begin this journey of reflection, guided by the wisdom of our cultures and the voices of our people.
Sixty Years Adrift: Learning from a Western-Led Journey
Fellow Pasifika, our development voyage of the last six decades has traveled through both light and shadow. In the optimistic dawn of independence, we eagerly adopted dominant development paradigms – liberal democracy, capitalist enterprise, Western education – believing they would secure the prosperity and stability we sought. There have indeed been benefits: life expectancy rose, literacy improved, infrastructure grew. We should acknowledge these gains. However, we must also speak honestly about the unintended consequences of wholesale adoption of external models. As we embraced imported frameworks, cracks appeared in our social and cultural bedrock. We began noticing troubling symptoms: families and communities fraying, youth adrift not knowing their identity, social ills on the rise despite material progress. Elders lament that many young people no longer know their culture; sacred knowledge of fishing, farming, healing often failed to pass down. We gained the world in some respects, but risked losing our soul. Too rarely has this Pasifika development soul been acknowledged in our official discourse.
For decades, we measured success primarily by economic metrics like GDP or foreign investment. Seldom did we ask: What about the strength of our family bonds? The health of our forests and reefs? The vitality of our languages and dances? The spiritual well-being of our people? By importing metrics of success, we often measured what was easy to count, instead of what truly counts. And yet, even as this happened, our inner voice never fully went silent. We felt the dissonance. We saw parents working long hours in urban jobs while traditional wisdom went untaught. We saw crowded churches on Sunday, reminding us that our people still hunger for spiritual meaning in an age of consumerism. Time and again, the Pasifika spirit endured beneath the surface of our Western-style development journey, waiting for its moment to re-emerge.
My friends, I believe that moment is now. The old certainties of the global development model are faltering, and people everywhere are seeking deeper values and community. This is our opportunity. We are not starting from scratch – we have 3,000 years of navigational wisdom in our hearts. Let us learn from the past 60 years. Let us embrace the useful aspects of global knowledge, but never again at the cost of burying our own wisdom. The Western chapter of our journey has taught many lessons; now it is time to re-center our compass on our Pasifika true north. It is time to rediscover the soul we feared lost, and realize it has been here all along – waiting for us to look to our own skies.
The Call of Our Ancestors: Pacific Values and Whole-of-Life Philosophy
Brothers and sisters, Pasifika is not without its own rich resources for development. Long before the first development economist set foot on our shores, our ancestors upheld philosophies of life, governance, and well-being that sustained our communities for centuries. These are not just quaint tales of a bygone era – they are living wisdom, highly relevant to the crises of today. Across our vast Blue Pacific, diverse ethical traditions and spiritual worldviews all offered holistic understandings of life. We often call this a “whole-of-life” approach – where development is viewed as a woven mat of interdependent strands, not split into separate economic, social, or spiritual silos.
Allow me to illustrate with a voice from our region. The late Bernard Narokobi of Papua New Guinea – a statesman and philosopher – described what we might call the Melanesian Way. He wrote: “Our vision sees the human person in his totality, with the spirit world as well as the animal and the plant world. This human person is not absolute master of the universe, but an important component in an interdependent world of the person with the animal, the plant, and the spiritual.” What a profound insight! In those few lines, Narokobi-dera reminds us that humanity is not above nature or apart from the spiritual; we are part of an interdependent cosmos. The health of the land, sea, and spirit are intertwined with our own well-being. This is a Pasifika worldview: all of life is one, and any development that does not embrace that whole will ultimately fail.
Such understanding resonates across our cultures. In Fiji, for example, we speak of vanua – a word that means land, but also people and community, capturing the unity between them. In Samoa, the concept of va is the sacred relational space between people, and between people and the environment – a space that must be kept balanced and respectful. In Tonga, the crafting of a kakala (floral garland) is a metaphor for knowledge: one must carefully select, weave, and share knowledge as one creates and presents a beautiful garland. Across Micronesia, elders’ stories emphasize communal sharing and reverence for the ocean as our common home. Though our languages and metaphors differ, there are common threads in the Pacific mat: reverence for nature, the centrality of community, respect for elders and ancestors, and the integration of the spiritual and material realms.
It is no surprise, then, that Pacific scholars have long called for development to be grounded in these values. For over four decades, our own intellectuals and leaders have urged: We must tell our own story of development; we must define progress in our own terms. Pioneers like Professor Konai Helu Thaman of Tonga led the way in education, insisting that our school curricula reflect Pacific cultures and languages. She warned that for too long, indigenous knowledge was labeled inferior when in fact it should be seen as “superior and important in resolving global environmental problems,” urging us to “reweave the mat” of education to make indigenous learning central. Her words ring true as we grapple with climate change – the world is realizing that ancient practices of sustainability (taro patch agriculture, navigational star charts, etc.) hold keys to resilience that modern society desperately needs. Our native wisdom is not a relic; it is a resource for innovation and survival.
The late Professor Epeli Hau’ofa, a Tongan-Fijian thinker, gifted us a powerful reframing of who we are as Pacific peoples. He taught that, “There is a world of difference between viewing the Pacific as ‘islands in a far sea’ and as ‘a sea of islands.’ The first emphasizes smallness and remoteness… The second is a more holistic perspective in which things are seen in the totality of their relationships.” In other words, if we see our islands as isolated little dots, we succumb to narratives of smallness and vulnerability. But if we see Oceania as one great community – a sea of islands, vast and interconnected – then Oceania is empowered. We are only small if we think small. Hau’ofa’s vision shattered the myth of smallness and inspired the concept of the Blue Pacific Continent: the idea that together, our many islands and waters form a mighty, dynamic continent of its own. This expansive mindset, grounded in Pacific wisdom, is exactly the visionary thinking we need to guide our development journey.
Contemporary Pacific theologians and philosophers echo these themes. Rev. Prof. Upolu Luma Vaai and others speak of reviving vakatabu (sacred) philosophies that emphasize restraint, balance, and reciprocity – a “Whole-of-Life Way” for Pasifika development. They encourage us to “embrace a whole-of-life consciousness that fosters resilient, community-based development”, translating ancient principles into modern practice. These are not abstract ideas. They yield practical directives: care for the environment as kin, prioritize communal well-being over individual greed, balance material pursuits with spiritual nourishment. From Melanesia to Micronesia to Polynesia, our foremothers and forefathers left us a legacy of knowledge systems – in agroforestry, navigation, conflict resolution, art, social cohesion, and healing. And our modern Pacific scholars – from Thaman and Hau’ofa to Vaai and many others – have been netweaving intellectually, intertwining ancestral wisdom with contemporary analysis to create a new fabric of Pasifika development thought.
Our gathering today stands on the shoulders of those giants. We affirm their message: Pasifika development must embrace a “whole-of-life” vision that values the human person, community, spirit, land, and ocean together. This is the soul of Pasifika development – the unseen essence that gives life and meaning to our pursuit of a better future. Without it, development is a body without a soul: moving, perhaps, but without life-force or direction. With it, development can become a sacred endeavor that uplifts our people in every dimension.
Navigating a Web of Crises: Challenges Shaping Our Soul
Having reflected on our values and philosophical strengths, we must now face the reality of the world around us. Today, the Pasifika development soul is being tested by a web of interconnected crises. These challenges are urgent and complex – but I submit that they are exactly the kind of challenges our holistic wisdom is equipped to address. Let me outline a few of the major currents rocking our canoe:
Climate Change and Environmental Degradation: This is the defining crisis of our time. Rising seas are encroaching on the homelands of Kiribati and the Marshall Islands; stronger cyclones and droughts batter communities from Vanuatu to Tuvalu. Climate change threatens not only our economies but our very existence and identity – will our grandchildren inherit the same islands we call home, or any islands at all? Pacific leaders have been moral voices on climate, reminding the world that climate change is a matter of justice, not just science. Our traditions of living in harmony with nature imbue us with a responsibility to speak for the Earth. We remember that our ancestors treated ocean and land with reverence – taking only what was needed, respecting seasons and spirits. In facing the climate crisis, our indigenous knowledge of sustainability and our spiritual conviction that the Earth is our mother are invaluable assets. We are not powerless; we have navigated rough seas before. By grounding climate policy in Pacific ecological wisdom, we can adapt to the changes and also lead by example in caring for our common home.
Technological Disruption and AI-Driven Culture: The digital revolution – from social media to artificial intelligence – is sweeping into our islands. Technology brings promise: connectivity for remote atolls, new educational tools, economic innovation. But it also carries threats to our cultural fabric. Our young people are increasingly influenced by algorithms and content from far beyond our shores. Open a smartphone in Suva or Apia, and the same videos from Los Angeles or Seoul flood the screen. What does this mean for Pasifika identity? Will our languages survive the onslaught of English (or machine code)? Will our children learn the patience of talanoa (traditional dialogic storytelling) when TikTok teaches them 30-second dances? We cannot and should not reject technology, but we must shape its use so it serves our values rather than erodes them. This might mean developing AI that supports Pacific languages, building digital libraries of indigenous knowledge, or simply educating our youth to be digitally savvy and culturally grounded. Let our values of community and respect guide how we engage the virtual world – for instance, teaching that online behavior should reflect the same respect we expect kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face). We have an opportunity to infuse the digital domain with our Pasifika soul, rather than passively consuming whatever streams in from outside.
Geopolitical Pressures and Strategic Competition: Our beloved Pacific region has once again become an arena of intense geopolitical interest. Major powers see strategic value in our ocean, our resources, and even our votes in international forums. We witness military build-ups, new security pacts, and diplomatic tug-of-war playing out in our neighborhood. This can be unsettling and threatens the peace and autonomy of our Blue Pacific. As small states, we rely on a rules-based international order – respect for sovereignty, international law, multilateralism – for our security. When that order is strained or ignored by great powers, we feel the impact keenly. Here, our cultural predisposition for dialogue and consensus is a strength we offer to the world. The Pacific Way – since the days of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and other founders – emphasizes talanoa (inclusive dialogue), mutual respect, and peaceful resolution of conflicts. We declared the Pacific a nuclear-free zone in 1985, asserting our region’s right to be an Ocean of Peace. Today, as our leaders advance a new Ocean of Peace initiative, we must lend it the full weight of our cultural ethos. As Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka recently noted, the Ocean of Peace can showcase Pacific concepts of resolving differences with respect and understanding – sharing our Pacific Way values with the world. In championing this vision, Pacific nations give substance to traditions of peace-building through dialogue, consensus, and communal restoration. Our message is clear: we want our ocean to remain a zone of peace and neutrality, where outside strategic competition does not determine our fate. By standing united – a vuvale (family) of nations – and guided by our ancestors’ wisdom of peace, we can navigate the turbulent waters of geopolitics without losing our way or our principles.
Social Challenges – e.g. Gender-Based Violence and Erosion of Cohesion: Not all threats come from outside; some arise within. One painful challenge we must confront is the scourge of gender-based violence in our societies. Despite our cultures’ deep values of respect and protection for family, we see unacceptable levels of domestic violence and abuse of women and girls (and sometimes vulnerable boys). This is a moral and cultural crisis. It tells us something in our social fabric has frayed – perhaps under the stresses of modern life, unemployment, substance abuse, or lingering colonial-era attitudes that warped our indigenous gender balance. We must address this with urgency and honesty. The Pasifika development soul cannot thrive when half of that soul – our women and children – are hurting. Here, too, our cultural values offer guidance: many of our traditions honored women as chiefs or land custodians, or regarded them as the backbone of the family. Respect for tina (mother) is a cornerstone in Polynesia; in parts of Melanesia, women traditionally held important stewardship roles; in Micronesian clans, leadership was often complementary between genders. These heritages can empower us today. By reinvigorating our values of respect, equality, and the sanctity of family, we can combat gender-based violence not only with laws and policing, but with a fundamental cultural shift that declares: this has no place in our Pacific way of life. Our development must be safe and nurturing for all – women, men, boys, and girls. Likewise, other social ills, such as the rapid spread of illicit drugs and organized crime in some of our islands, threaten our youth and community cohesion. Combating these will require more than law enforcement; it will demand community values and unity – churches, schools, chiefs, and NGOs coming together in the spirit of solesolevaki (working collectively) to protect our people.
These challenges I have outlined – climate change, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, gender violence, and social disintegration – are not isolated. They intersect and compound one another. Climate stress can exacerbate social tensions; external powers can exploit internal divisions; economic pressures can fray the communal support networks that have always been our safety net. In short, they form a web that could ensnare us or, if we respond wisely, serve as a catalyst to unite us.
Crucially, none of these issues can be effectively addressed by a one-dimensional, siloed approach. We cannot treat climate change as only an engineering problem, or see geopolitics purely as a defense issue, or address gender violence solely as a policing matter. Each requires a holistic response, rooted in our cultural context – the very kind of response our whole-of-life philosophies inspire. These forces are actively shaping what I earlier called the Pasifika development soul. They test our values and demand we clarify what we stand for.
Let me put it plainly: if we respond to these crises merely with imported solutions, we will fail – or at best achieve shallow, short-term gains. But if we respond with solutions grounded in our Pasifika soul – drawing on both the best of modern knowledge and the deep well of our own wisdom – we will not only overcome these challenges, we will transform them into opportunities for renewal. This is the crux of our task. And to do that, we need a new approach to leadership and policy. We need a new network of wisdom guiding our way.
Weaving Wisdom into Leadership: A Pasifika Thought Leaders Network
In light of the complex challenges we face and the rich cultural assets we possess, there is a clear need for innovation in how we make decisions. That is why I join others in calling for the establishment of a Pasifika Thought Leaders Network. What would this look like? Imagine an independent, inclusive, values-driven council of wise women and men – including elders, young thinkers, community practitioners, and scholars from across the Pacific – whose sole purpose is to infuse our regional policymaking with the wealth of Pasifika philosophies, ethics, and spirituality.
The idea is simple but powerful. We already have our formal political leadership structures: the Pacific Islands Forum, national governments, ministries, and so on. These are necessary for day-to-day governance and diplomacy. But alongside these, we propose a standing network – essentially a “council of elders” for the modern age – that can advise, inspire, and remind our leaders of the deeper currents beneath every issue. This Pasifika Thought Leaders Network (PTLN, if you will) would weave our indigenous wisdom directly into policy discussions, regional diplomacy, and development planning. It would hold no formal executive power, but it would wield something perhaps even stronger: the moral and cultural authority of our peoples’ collective wisdom.
Why is this needed now? Because, as we have discussed, the crises we face are not merely technical; they are civilizational. They demand interpretation through ethical and spiritual lenses as much as through scientific and economic ones. For example: when we negotiate climate action, who speaks for the spiritual relationship we have with the ocean and land? When foreign militaries seek access to our waters, who asks the moral question of what kind of Pacific we want to be – one bristling with rival bases, or one that remains nuclear-free and peaceful? When AI algorithms shape our children’s minds, who is considering how to protect the Pasifika soul in that process? Our political leaders are busy people; ministers’ agendas overflow. It is all too easy for them to get caught up in immediate urgencies and external advice. A Thought Leaders Network would serve as a constant beacon, ensuring we don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees – or shall I say, the voyage for the waves.
What might this network do, practically? It could convene talanoa circles with community representatives to gather grassroots perspectives on regional issues. It could produce Pacific “thought papers” – concise briefs that frame pressing topics (like climate-induced migration or digital education) in light of our cultural values and ethical teachings. It might host intergenerational dialogues – say, between a high chief, a young climate activist, a church minister, and a tech entrepreneur (all Pasifika) – to hash out what development with soul looks like from multiple angles. Crucially, this network would feed its insights into the Pacific Islands Forum and national governments in a timely, constructive way. Think of it as an in-house think tank and conscience combined.
There is precedent for such wisdom councils in our traditions. Many villages have fono or councils of elders that guide decisions. At the national level, some countries have chiefly councils or appointed senate-like bodies to advise parliament. We are essentially elevating this concept to the regional level and explicitly anchoring it in Pasifika values and knowledge. Indeed, this very symposium is a prototype of what a Thought Leaders Network can offer – a space for deep reflection grounded in who we are
This is not just talk; we intend action. I am heartened that the Pacific Islands Forum is considering this idea. By the end of our discussions, let us aim to have a clear mandate to move forward. Establishing this network would be a landmark achievement – a gift we can give our leaders as they implement the 2050 Strategy and advance the Ocean of Peace initiative. In practical terms, that means developing terms of reference, identifying key members, and securing support for its operations.
Imagine a future where at each Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting, alongside the official communiqué, there is a statement from the Pasifika Thought Leaders Network – articulating the ethical and cultural dimensions of whatever agenda is on the table. Imagine our leaders empowered by having philosophers, theologians, educators, navigators, and community sages on speed dial – ready to advise on dilemmas with an indigenous lens. How different might our development decisions be? Likely more long-term, more holistic, more inclusive of the unseen impacts on community and spirit.
Such a network can also nurture the next generation of Pacific thinkers. We want our brightest young people not only to become engineers and economists, but also philosopher-navigators of our future – grounded in both modern expertise and cultural wisdom. A Thought Leaders Network could mentor emerging leaders in this vein, ensuring continuity of wisdom.
Let me emphasize: this is not a rejection of external expertise or partnerships. We will continue to work with global allies, donors, and institutions. But the Pasifika Thought Leaders Network would ensure that we approach every partnership and policy from a position of cultural confidence and integrity. It’s like having our ancestral compass next to our technological compass – so when the winds of change blow, we do not lose our true direction.
In summary, a Pasifika Thought Leaders Network is about weaving the wisdom of our people directly into the machinery of our decision-making. It is timely and indeed necessary. Let us seize this idea and make it real. It will help us reclaim control of our narrative and align development with our values – the very essence of netweaving our development soul.
Embedding the Pacific Soul in Regional Frameworks: From Vision to Action
Establishing a Thought Leaders Network is a means to an end. Our ultimate goal is to reshape our development narrative and embed the Pasifika soul into our existing regional strategies and future plans. We are not starting from zero. The Pacific has already articulated grand visions for itself; our task is to infuse those visions with authenticity and life, ensuring they truly reflect our collective soul.
Consider the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent – our region’s long-term roadmap for the coming decades. It is an ambitious framework covering climate action, economic development, cultural identity, regional security, and more. This strategy, endorsed by our leaders, paints a vision of a “Blue Pacific Continent,” emphasizing that together we are large, connected, and significant on the world stage. The concept draws inspiration from Hau’ofa’s “sea of islands” mindset. Now, we must ensure that implementing the 2050 Strategy is firmly grounded in Pasifika values and wisdom. For example, when setting development targets, include cultural well-being indicators – not just GDP and employment stats. When we talk about education under the 2050 Strategy, we should commit to bilingual and bicultural education that preserves mother tongues and indigenous knowledge. When we pursue economic growth, we must emphasize inclusive growth that aligns with community values and environmental stewardship – not growth at any cost. In short, we need to breathe our soul into the 2050 Strategy so that by the year 2050 we have not only prosperous nations, but also vibrant cultures and fulfilled people. Our proposed Thought Leaders Network can work closely with officials drafting the strategy’s implementation plans to make this happen, acting as a guardian of the vision’s integrity.
Next, consider the broader Blue Pacific narrative – the ideal of forging a strong sense of Pacific regionalism and identity, recognizing that as a collective we have agency and a unique voice in global affairs. To embed our soul here, we must clearly articulate what the “Blue Pacific identity” entails. It’s not just a geopolitical stance; it’s a civilizational statement. The Blue Pacific identity should draw from our shared oceanic heritage – our history of navigation and interconnectedness, our unity in diversity, our communal values. We must define the Blue Pacific Continent not only by geography, but by values: a region of peace, cooperation, communal care, and reverence for nature. That ethos should inform how we engage externally. For instance, as a Blue Pacific collective we might approach international trade by the principle of lelei vakasama (to seek mutual benefit) rather than cut-throat profit alone. In global climate talks, we often speak with moral authority about responsibility to future generations – that is the Blue Pacific soul in action. We should amplify that approach, proudly projecting our values as the core of our identity. The Blue Pacific agenda, at heart, must be about reasserting the Pacific Way in all dimensions of regional policy. With our development soul reclaimed, this narrative becomes a vehicle for global leadership – showing the world a development path that is compassionate and holistic.
Finally, let us talk about the Ocean of Peace initiative – a concept gaining momentum in our regional discourse. The Ocean of Peace envisions the Pacific as a region free of conflict and militarization, where stability is maintained through cooperation and mutual respect. In many ways, it revives the ideals behind the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone of the 1980s, while addressing 21st-century security concerns. To embed our soul in the Ocean of Peace, we must draw on our traditional approaches to peace. Across the Pacific, we have age-old mechanisms for conflict resolution: from the ifoga in Samoa (the ceremonial act of apology and forgiveness), to the mumu reconciliation feasts in parts of Melanesia, to the chiefly diplomacy in Fiji and Tonga. Our ancestors understood that lasting peace comes from restoring relationships, not stockpiling weapons. If the Ocean of Peace is to be more than a slogan, it must incorporate these Pacific principles of dialogue, respect, inclusion, and restorative justice. We hear encouraging words from leaders like Prime Minister Rabuka of Fiji, who noted that championing the Ocean of Peace means aligning with our traditions of peace-building through dialogue and communal restoration. It’s about showing how we in the Blue Pacific – and indeed the world – can resolve differences with mutual respect and avoid war. This is Pacific wisdom in action. Our job is to ensure this perspective is not lost when hard security negotiations happen. As strategic partners come to the table, we should insist that any security arrangements in our region uphold our fundamental principle: the Pacific is a zone of peace. We can develop a Pacific-led security framework that addresses issues like illegal fishing, transnational crime, and disaster response, while rejecting the introduction of rival military bases or nuclear submarines that would heighten tensions. In doing so, we uphold the sanctity of our ocean as a peaceful domain – a place where our children can grow up without fear of war.
In summary, reclaiming the Pasifika development soul must tangibly influence our key regional frameworks. The 2050 Strategy, the Blue Pacific narrative, the Ocean of Peace platform – these are vessels. We must fill those vessels with our ancestral mana, our values, our spiritual energy. If we do so, these initiatives will not drift or ring hollow; they will carry our peoples’ aspirations with authenticity and power. This is, in effect, an act of cultural sovereignty: we the Pacific will define development on our own terms. We will not simply be recipients of global agendas; we will be authors of a new narrative that others might even learn from. And what a gift to the world that could be – a model of development that is holistic, humane, and sustainable, rooted in respect for the Creator, creation, and all peoples.
I urge our policymakers – some are here today – to take this forward. After this symposium, let our Forum working groups be tasked not just with technical planning, but also with integrating cultural and ethical perspectives into their work. Perhaps create a cultural advisory sub-committee for the 2050 Strategy, or include Thought Leaders Network representatives when drafting the Ocean of Peace declaration. These would be concrete steps to ensure follow-through. By infusing our regional agenda with our development soul, we assert that the Pacific will navigate by its own stars.
Conclusion: Unity, Leadership, and Cultural Renewal – Our Call to Action
My dear Pacific family, as I conclude, I invite you to envision our region a generation from now. It is the year 2050. Our children and grandchildren stand on the shores of our islands, looking out at the vast ocean. What do we want them to see? Do we imagine a Pacific that has prospered materially but lost its identity – a landscape of glass towers and depleted mines, where the songs of our ancestors are forgotten? Or do we see a Blue Pacific Continent that is thriving in every sense – where development means clean energy and healthy reefs, flourishing local cultures, and communities so resilient and united that any storm can be weathered?
I believe we all aspire to the latter vision. And to get there, we must act now with unity, visionary leadership, and a profound cultural renewal.
Unity is paramount. The challenges we face do not respect national borders. A pandemic, a cyclone, or a great-power rivalry can affect all of us. As our leaders often remind us, we truly are in the same canoe. We must paddle together. This means strengthening our regional solidarity through the Pacific Islands Forum and other bodies, yes – but it also means unity within our own countries and communities. Government, academia, churches, traditional chiefs, women’s groups, youth – all of us must come together to reclaim our development soul. No single sector can do it alone. One of the greatest gifts of our cultural heritage is the emphasis on the community over the individual. Now is the time to live that value fully. Let us break down silos: economists talk with theologians, politicians learn from farmers, elders sit with youth and truly listen. In the Pacific way, everyone has a role in the family meeting. Our canoe will move fastest and steadier when all paddles are in the water, synchronized.
Leadership is the lever of change. And I do not speak only of political leaders – though we certainly need our presidents and prime ministers to champion this cause (and I acknowledge those who already are). I speak of leadership in every corner of society: thought leaders, spiritual leaders, community leaders, youth leaders, and yes, each of you here today in your own field. We need leaders who are unafraid to defy conventional wisdom when it isn’t working – courageous souls who put cultural values above short-term gain, and who can inspire our people to believe in a better vision. To all our leaders I say: lead with the head and the heart together. Do not check your culture at the door when you negotiate a trade deal or draft a budget. Bring your full self – your Pacific self – into those spaces. That authenticity will resonate and lead to better outcomes. The call for a Thought Leaders Network is ultimately a call for transformational leadership – leadership that transforms not only policies but also hearts and minds by rooting actions in ethical principles. Each of us can practice that kind of leadership in our own domain, starting today.
Finally, cultural renewal lies at the core of this mission. We cannot assume all will be well simply by changing strategies on paper. We must revitalize the cultural foundations on the ground. This means a renaissance in Pacific arts, languages, and knowledge systems. It means elders actively teaching and involving youth in traditions, and youth reinterpreting traditions in creative, modern ways. It means using our indigenous language and metaphors when we discuss development – for language carries worldview (even the shift from calling ourselves Pacific Islanders to Pasifika or Blue Pacific signals a more people-centered, connected perspective). It means investing in cultural education just as robustly as we invest in science or economics. And cultural renewal has a spiritual dimension: strengthening the moral and ethical fiber of our communities. Whether through churches, mosques, temples, or traditional spirituality, we must nourish the inner values of our people. Development with soul requires souls that are conscious and nourished. Let us support initiatives that teach integrity, compassion, and respect in our schools and villages. When a child grows up proud of her culture, fluent in her language, and guided by respect for others and for the environment – that child will be a far better architect, entrepreneur, or public servant. Why? Because they carry an inner strength and identity that no textbook alone can provide. So we must strive to raise a generation of global citizens who are first and foremost grounded Pacific people. That is cultural renewal: not living in the past, but carrying the past’s wisdom confidently into the future.
Brothers and sisters, the hour is late but the journey is young. We are a people of voyagers. Our ancestors sailed into unknown horizons guided only by the stars, the ocean swells, and their sacred knowledge passed down through generations. Today, we face our own ocean of unknowns – climate upheavals, technological tides, social tempests – but we are not rudderless. We have our ancestors’ wisdom as the star to guide us, our values as the canoe to carry us, and our unity as the wind in our sails.
It is time to netweave again – to cast and weave strong nets of collaboration and knowledge, harvesting the bounty of both modern innovation and ancient wisdom. It is time to reweave the mat of development so that its patterns are unmistakably Pacific, beautiful and resilient. It is time to answer the question, “Where is our Pasifika development soul?” with a resounding: “It is here – within us – and we are breathing it back to life!”
In practical terms, let us leave this gathering with a few clear commitments:
- Launch and support the Pasifika Thought Leaders Network – lend it your expertise, champion its recommendations, and give it a seat at the table so it may flourish and guide us.
- Integrate Pasifika values into all regional initiatives – whether you work on climate policy, education, health, or security, ask at every step: How does this reflect our Pacific Way? Have we consulted our cultural knowledge? Ensure that the 2050 Strategy, Blue Pacific agenda, and Ocean of Peace framework are imbued with our soul in their implementation.
- Promote dialogue and unity at all levels – commit to breaking down barriers between disciplines, communities, and countries. Remember that we are one ocean, one people. Create forums in your own contexts for cross-cultural, cross-generational exchange. In other words, keep this talanoa going beyond today.
- Champion cultural revival – fund a local language program, support an artist, protect a sacred site, or simply teach your children and grandchildren who they are. Development must not cost us our identity – indeed, our identity can drive development. Let’s make culture the fourth pillar of sustainable development (alongside economic, social, and environmental) – in reality, not just in rhetoric.
If we do these things, I am confident that when our leaders and people look back a decade or two from now, they will say: 2025 was a turning point. It was the moment the Pacific chose to navigate by its own stars again – the moment we stopped being merely passengers in someone else’s vessel and became captains of our own waka (canoe), charting a course defined by our values.
There is a beautiful Māori proverb: “He waka eke noa” – we are all in the canoe together. That is the spirit I appeal to today. United, with strong leadership and cultural pride, there is no wave that can swamp our canoe; we will ride every wave and even turn some into opportunities to surge forward.
Let this be our inspirational call to action: Pasifika – it is time to reclaim our development soul. Time to lead with wisdom and heart. Time to unite as guardians of our Blue Pacific. Time to renew our cultures for the next generation. In doing so, we will not only secure a just, peaceful, and sustainable future for our islands, but also shine a light for the whole world – a world that is searching for a more humane and soulful path to development.
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters: the soul of Pasifika development lives in each of us. Let us weave it together across our nations. Let us embed it into the very blueprint of our future. And let us set sail confidently into the Ocean of Peace we envision – guided by our ancestors, driven by our collective mana, and bound by our love for these islands and each other.
Thank you – vinaka vakalevu, tenkyu tumas, fakafetai lasi, ko rabwa – for listening and for joining in this mission. May the Almighty bless our journey ahead, and may the Pacific flourish with the strength of its soul reunited. Fa’afetai tele lava – thank you.
Professor Transform Aqorau
Vice Chancellor, Solomon Islands National University
12 September 2025
