Journalists and communication officers from various Pacific nations have gathered in Palau this week for an engaging Media Masterclass, which coincides with the Second Pacific Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Ministerial Meeting set to commence tomorrow. Over the course of five days, this masterclass aims to strengthen collaboration among media professionals, scientists, and disaster management officials, focusing on vital topics related to climate, ocean health, and disaster risk management across the region.
The Australian Ambassador to Palau, H.E. Toby Sharpe, officiated the opening of the event, highlighting the essential role of communicators in shaping the Pacific’s response to the increasing challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters. Ambassador Sharpe stated, “Each one of you plays a vital role in shaping how the region understands and responds to these challenges,” emphasizing that the masterclass represents a strategic investment in bolstering regional resilience.
Organized by the Pacific Community (SPC) through its Climate and Oceans Support Programme in the Pacific (COSPPac), this training is designed to foster strong partnerships between media practitioners and technical agencies, including National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs). Rhonda Robinson, Director of SPC’s Geoscience, Energy and Maritime (GEM) Division, expressed that this initiative is vital for empowering journalists and communicators to enhance their reporting on complex scientific and disaster-related topics while also supporting media coverage of the upcoming DRM Ministerial Meeting.
Leilani Raklai, a representative from the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), encouraged attendees to utilize their storytelling abilities to make scientific and disaster information more relatable to local communities. “Our job as Pacific journalists is to tell stories that help people understand what’s happening around us, especially during disasters,” she emphasized.
This event builds on the success of previous collaborations led by the SPC, such as the 2019 UN Decade of Ocean Science Media Masterclass in New Caledonia and the 2023 Pacific Ocean Science Conference in Fiji. These initiatives have significantly enhanced the connections between journalists and Pacific scientists, while also reinforcing the importance of incorporating youth and indigenous perspectives into regional science reporting.
By promoting increased collaboration and understanding, the masterclass offers a hopeful outlook for a well-informed and responsive approach to the pressing climate and disaster challenges facing Pacific communities. The commitment demonstrated through training initiatives like this reflects a proactive effort to build a resilient future in the face of climate change.