The Pacific Islands Forum ‘Officials Subcommittee on the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent’ will use information from three publications of the Pacific Theological College.
The publications are on Reweaving the Ecological Mat (REM) call for a development in the Pacific Islands region that promote fullness of life and not pure capitalism.
They are an output of the REM project coordinated by the Institute for Mission and Research of the Pacific Theological College.
They are; ‘Reweaving the Ecological Mat Framework: Toward an Ecological Framework for Development,’ and ‘Ecological Economic Accounts: Towards Intemerate Values’ and ‘From the Deep: Pasifiki Voices for a New Story.
PTC Principal Rev. Professor Dr Upolu Va’ai handed them over to over to the Officials Subcommittee developing the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy on October 22.
The 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy is a regional strategy for protecting and securing Pacific people’s, places and prospects.
Mr Esala Nayasi, the Sub-Committee’s Co-Chairperson and Deputy Permanent Secretary for Fiji’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, received the publications.
‘The publications share holistic approaches that inform and can be applied in the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy,’ he said.
PIFS Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor applauded the REM team for sharing the publications instead of wasting them on bookshelves.
Mr Nayasi said the sub-committee will digest the information shared in the books and consult the REM team on how best to apply them.
Rev. Professor Vaai told the Sub-Committee that the REM initiative was created to respond to the concern of church leaders about several things.
1. The debilitating state of health of people and their wellbeing 2. The decline of biodiversity 3. Deterioration of regional relations due to the loss of multilateralism 4. Increasing fractures in social relationships, e.g. domestic violence, the decline in the mental and physical health of people.
He added the REM Initiative researched and produced a Household Framework for development. The framework’s foundations include culture and traditions, Pacific philosophies, spirituality and religious values. As well as Pacific people’s measures of health and wellbeing. It is a homegrown initiative that highlights the important things that matter to Pacific people.
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