Opening of the PINA media workshop
31 August 2018
Nauru
Keynote Address by His Excellency President Baron Divavesi Waqa, MP
Ekamawir Omo and welcome to Nauru.
Nauru is humbled and proud to welcome you to the 49th Pacific Island Leaders forum.
We hope and trust that this workshop that PINA and PIFS is conducting will offer added value to your knowledge and insight of the issues and events of the region and this forum meeting and to guide you in writing news that will inform and educate the people of the pacific and further afield.
Known as the fourth estate - the media plays a vital role is shaping a society and keep governments accountable to their people and the policies they draft and enshrine in law. Whether you are a small organisation in a small country like Nauru, your job as gatekeepers in journalism is of extreme importance in today’s media environment.
As gatekeepers, you ultimately mould and conduct what is being published to the masses, ultimately shaping their views and opinions of the world whether fact or gossip.
With the fast developing world of social media and wanna-be journalists, the lines that distinguish real journalism and baseless or fake news become blurred.
As journalists you need to be the reliable source of reliable and factual news for the people.
You have been selected by your respective governments and organisations to be that reliable source of news and information at this 49th Pacific Islands forum - to inform and educate our people about what the Pacific forum is about; what the issues are; and what your leaders are doing and discussing to make things better for our islands and our Blue Pacific.
At this workshop you will have speakers in specialised fields to talk to you about fisheries, regional security, pacific regionalism, climate change and disaster risk management, as well as the unique opportunity of mentoring sessions to guide and prepare you for the issues and week ahead.
My government and the people of Nauru welcome you once again to our Pleasant Island and we look forward to reading your news articles.
