We face the gravest of threats, climate change is threatening our lives and our cultural heritage.
These were the sentiments shared by Nacula District representative Lavenia Naivalu during a three-day National Symposium for Community Led Initiatives on Environment Sustainability last week.
“What could be more important than securing our fresh sources of water, food, our gardens, our houses, forests, rivers, and fishing grounds for now, our children and future generations,” she said.
“As leaders we understand that our role is to be custodians of the truth and the springboard for action.
“We came together to talk from our hearts and from our experiences about matters of the utmost importance.
“We need our government, the governments of the blue Pacific and the governments of the climate-polluting world to take a new course of action.”
She said there was a need to see to the end use of fossil fuels.
“We also understand the need to adapt and change to meet the challenges before us, it is our expectation that those who have caused the problem will take the responsibility for helping to fix this problem.
“It is only right that they should provide the resources that will determine us to give best solutions for ourselves.”
While delivering her vote of thanks to the Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa Tubuna, Mrs Naivalu said, the communities’ part of the symposium had prepared the symposium’s outcome document called the Kauwai Communique.
“These are our stories these are stories of our children.
“Our hearts beat through these stories, please carry these stories with care and with strong resolve to protect our culture, homeland, and future generations.”
