UNESCO/AIBD Education for All (EFA) workshop-

The EFA Media Toolkit helps journalists to better understand UNESCO's EFA initiative and to encourage them to become actively involved with the global movement. The Kit provides a trainer, journalist, or media practitioner with a wide range of information to assist in the construction of articles or in-depth reviews on education for a newspaper, magazine, or radio/TV station.

UNESCO Apia are inviting senior staff from the USP Journalism Programme, Divine Word University in Madang, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa Polytechnic to undertake the Workshop with a view to incorporating the Toolkit into their curriculums. Also part of the workshop are 6 senior journalists from the Regional media who are members of PINA. The workshop will:Train participants on EFA issues as they affect specific countries and the global community;

1. To be able to better analyse Education budgets, policies and systems;
2. Investigate the relationship between education and human development needs;
3. Enhance research skills and have access to a wider range of statistics and information; and
4. Be more sensitive to specific educational areas, such as education for girls and women, the disadvantaged and those with special needs.
   

Meeting with Sasakawa Pacific Islands Nations Fund (SPINF)

Ms Rieko Hayakawa, the Project Co-ordinator for the Sasakawa Pacific Islands Nations Fund is visiting Fiji to meet with PINA and other stakeholders. Her meeting with PINA follows the review of the 10 years program between Sasakawa and PINA. She will also be discussing future programs with PINA.

PACIFIC WORKSHOP ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

PINA president Apulu Lance is invited by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Secretariat to attend this 2 days workshop in Nadi, Fiji.

Programs includes the Overview of FOI Principles and Legislation, scope of the law (different aspects: public and private bodies, govt.etc.

Exceptions to the right of access (eg. national security, personal information for public officials. Appeals mechanism, Protection for whistleblower and good faith disclosures. FOI Implementation Issues etc

Regional Media Visit to China

A group of 6 regional senior journalists will be visiting China at the invitation of the Chinese Govt. This is the second regional media visit to China, the first was in 2003 led by PINA president Apulu Lance Polu and Francis Herman, PINA vice president.

PINA had earlier this year invited a 10 member Chinese delegation to visit Fiji.

It's expected that the team will fly out October 22, for an intensive
workshop, stay to cover the Forum and Forum related meetings and fly out on or about October 30.

Participants are senior working journalists and upcoming young journalists with a solid background in key political, trade, economic, social and governance issues from print,TV, radio and 2 national associations who are all members of the Pacific Islands News Association.

One of the key issues at this year’s Forum meeting is the presentation of the draft Pacific Plan by the Eminent Persons’ Group to the Forum Islands Leaders.

PINA had also made a submission for the regional media after a media consultation on the Pacific Plan in Suva in June.

Details of the 4 confirmed workshops for the convention will be posted soon. Watch this space!!!! Click here for current info