Pacific Islands Development Program Launches Re-envisioned Pacific Islands Report

The Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) at the East-West Center in collaboration with the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa (CPIS) are proud to announce the launch of their revamped digital platform aimed at offering concise updates and fresh insights on matters of shared concern in the Pacific Islands region. The official relaunch of the Pacific Islands Report was celebrated in an online event on May 23, featuring a talk story session with authors of works published in the inaugural issue of Visions & Voices, a new quarterly periodical published on the Pacific Islands Report website.

About the Pacific Islands Report
Established in 1997, the Pacific Islands Report (PIR) has a longstanding history as a source for curated news items and daily summaries about political events, economic developments, and social issues across the Pacific. Staying true to its founding mission, PIR continues to publish regional news roundups, now organized around the thematic areas of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, a strategic document endorsed by Pacific heads of governments in 2022.

Charting a course for 2024 and beyond, the PIR website now also showcases perspectives and analyses by a variety of contributors, providing a multimedia experience including audio, visual media, and written content. For example, the website now features Oceania Currents, a podcast from the UH Center for Pacific Islands Studies sharing voices, stories, and conversations from across Oceania and beyond.

Additionally, it now presents Visions & Voices, a fresh quarterly publication featuring essays, articles, commentary, and concise pieces relevant to the Pacific Islands region. Videos, encompassing in-depth interviews with leaders and influential figures from the Pacific, are now given a designated platform on the site.

“The re-envisioned Pacific Islands Report is not just about staying informed on current events in the Pacific Islands,” said Dr. Mary Therese Perez Hattori, director of PIDP. “It’s also about creating a platform for voices that are not typically heard outside the Pacific.” For more information on the Pacific Islands Report, please visit www.PIReport.org

About the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center
The Pacific Islands Development Program, or PIDP, is a distinct entity based at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, that works toward empowering Pacific peoples through programs informed by the voices of the region itself. Founded in 1980 at the request of Pacific Islands leaders under the visionary guidance of Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and Hawai‘i Governor George Ariyoshi, the program conducts a broad range of activities to enhance quality of life in Pacific communities.

Since its founding, the program has served as a platform for the region’s leaders to discuss critical issues and an institute to share use-inspired expertise, produce policy-relevant research, and train new generations of Pacific leaders. PIDP is a founding member of the Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific (CROP) and serves as the secretariat for the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PICL), a regional council of 20 member governments that also serves as the program’s governing council.

About the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa
The Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa (CPIS) remains the only academic program in the United States to focus on the entire Pacific region. It is also the only National Resource Center for the region, recognized and supported by the US Department of Education since 1973. The Center has a faculty of over 40 regional specialists engaged in Pacific Islands-related research and teaching, and a dynamic student program that includes both graduate and undergraduate offerings. The Center has a thriving publishing program, supports student and faculty exchanges with regional universities, hosts visiting scholars and officials, cooperates with regional organizations, and coordinates an active program of educational outreach, including seminars, workshops, teaching, and international conferences.

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