LocationsMedia for Unity: Journalists Reimagine Their Role in Building a More Inclusive Fiji
July 21, 2025
UN Peacebuilding Fund Media Workshop at the Pearl Resort, Fiji.
Accurate information, facilitating dialogue, encouraging ideas; these core principles reflect the role that the media industry can play in fostering social cohesion.
Over two days in June, over 30 journalists, editors, and journalism students gathered not just to learn, but to reflect, challenge, and reimagine the role of journalism in shaping a more inclusive Fiji.
The workshop, a collaborative effort between the United Nation, the Fiji Media Association, and University of the South Pacific’s Journalism School (USP), was more than a professional development exercise. It was a call to action – an invitation to the media to become architects of social cohesion and champions of human rights.
A Shift in Perspective
Reginald Chandra.
For Reginald Chandra of FijiLive, the workshop was both a refresher and a revelation, adding that:
“The workshop provided a lot of clarity and depth of understanding as to media’s role in promoting human rights and social cohesion. I will have to ensure my story incorporates a diversity of voices and the perspectives of all.”
This sentiment echoed across the room. Trinesh Chaudhary, a journalism student at USP, expressed that the topic of media’s role in human rights had been underexplored in the education industry.
Trinesh Chaudhary.
“The workshop has given us a whole new perspective and understanding by educating us on the history, importance and limitations which will help create impactful methods on how to effectively promote human rights and social cohesion – not just in the newsroom but promoting it outside of the newsroom,” Trinesh said.
Peace by Peaceful Means
A culture of peace is rooted in every community. It is not merely an idea; it is a necessity for fostering inclusive and equitable societies. Peacebuilding and social cohesion might focus on empowering individuals within communities to play an active role in addressing the underlying structural issues that breed inequalities, marginalisation, and lack of access to opportunities, but at the broader level it is necessary for shaping a nation’s social fabric, for nurturing a prosperous country.
The joint UN ‘Strengthening Social Cohesion Pathways, Human Rights and Women’s Civic Participation’ Project in Fiji exemplifies such efforts. The initiative is nationally owned and led by the Government of Fiji, supported by the United Nations Development Programme, UN Women and the OHCHR, and is designed to help Fiji address the complex challenges that impact social cohesion, reconciliation and work towards national unity. The project is funded through the UN Secretary-General Peacebuilding Fund and supported by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.
The project aims to strengthen the fabric of Fijian society by addressing these challenges through a whole-of-society approach that leverages community engagement, local leadership, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to create sustainable pathways for peace.
Various actors and institutions in Fiji have united through the Social Cohesion Project to advance social cohesion and promote a culture of peace among all Fijians, and the involvement of the media as champions for social cohesion is critical to sustaining peace by peaceful means.
Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future
The workshop delved into the historical and cultural roots of human rights, including a session on pre-colonial Fijian social contracts.
Alipate Narawa.
Alipate Narawa of Communications Fiji Limited said:
“Most of the time we talk about human rights without understanding all the nuances and the work that has gone into it. We must understand human rights and social cohesion to be able to report accurately and able to see the story ideas when we are given assignments.”
For Yvonne Ravula, USP Journalism student, her takeaway from the workshop was that it allowed her to picture the possibilities that could arise from covering stories that involve social cohesion and human rights.
Yvonne Ravula.
“I believe that by doing so, we help create a more informed and responsible society – a society that is more respectful and empathetic towards one another and is aware of its fundamental rights and practices them responsibly.”
A Collective Commitment
USP’s School of Public Arts, Communication and Education, Professor Shailendra Singh, highlighted that collaboration is critical for achieving optimum outcomes, especially when considering the Fiji media landscape.
Professor Shailendra Singh.
“Human rights, gender sensitivity, and social cohesion are values that relate to the public interest in that these values underpin and support progress and development – both human and national. Because of its reach and influence, the media can be a catalyst in advancing human rights, gender sensitivity, and social cohesion. In fact, the media have already contributed meaningfully to these causes,” he said.
Looking Ahead
As the workshop concluded, the mood was one of cautious optimism. The challenges are real – legal constraints and misinformation – but so is the resolve.
These journalists returned to their newsrooms not just with new skills, but with a renewed sense of purpose. They are no longer just reporters. They are storytellers, educators, and advocates for a more just and united Fiji.
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