Pride of a nation
September marks the 140th anniversary of the founding of The Fiji Times.
We have been there with the people of Fiji through all the momentous events -- the movement to nationhood, cyclones, wars and tearful homecomings, through the building of economic pillars like the sugar industry and the move into modern sectors like tourism and communications.
Over the next months Fiji Times will be celebrating these memories with you.
Each week there will be pictures and stories reminding you of the amazing, and in some cases life-changing, events that have shaped modern Fiji.
We will also be publishing a series of special 8-page liftouts for you to collect, starting with a pictorial on Saturday, May 16.
These will build into a unique chronicle of our journey. As part of our Birthday celebrations we also want to recognise the extraordinary efforts of ordinary people that go on every day.
So we have launched Pride of Fiji, a special series of awards that give everyone in the country a chance to have their say on who should be honoured.
The awards will publically recognise those who work selflessly to make other people's lives better, or whose actions have been an inspiration, spurring others to emulate them.
People like Losalini Qaqau and her grandfather Willie Uluiviti (pictured above)
"Pride of Fiji will honour our many unsung heroes and inspire generations of them to come," says Fiji Times editor-in-chief Netani Rika.
"We believe that the awards will allow us all to give due recognition to the characteristics that bind our communities together -- that feeling of selflessness, of compassion, integrity, heroism and devotion to making the plight of others easier to bear - those values that will inspire us all to be all we can be, a caring nation with strong hope for the future."
Fiji Times managing director Anne Fussell says that although the Pride of Fiji awards are being launched to commemorate Fiji Times' 140th year, it is hoped that they will become an annual event.
"This country is full of people, young and old, who don't seek public recognition for the selfless work they do, or the brave actions they take, but who definitely deserve to have them widely appreciated and applauded," she says.
"Although we have a number of initiatives planned for the months leading up to our actual birthday in September, Pride of Fiji is a perfect centrepiece to our celebrations."
There are seven categories based on the unique community service and achievement awards scheme.