Leadership Fiji has today announced their partnership and collaboration with Think Pacific Foundation (Fiji) to deliver Guest Speaker Sessions for Think Pacific’s Virtual Internship and Global Citizenship Programs.
The collaboration will enable international and local based University students to connect ‘virtually’ with leading figures and organisations from Fiji within different sectors and provide them vital context for Fiji and the Pacific to enhance their learning and understanding.
This announcement today brings to the fore the opportunities available for Civil Society Organisations (CSO) to enter into partnerships and collaboration, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on travel. As the saying goes “together we can do more”; no doubt the benefits of CSO collaboration, as in a business like context, are well known, resulting in more innovative ideas, reduced costs through efficiencies and sharing of resources and access to new services and markets.
Sharyne Fong, Leadership Fiji’s Chief Executive Officer said “when Think Pacific Foundation’s Co-Founder and Chairman, Harry Hunter approached us to discuss this collaboration, I immediately saw the benefits this would bring to Leadership Fiji and Think Pacific. Why not turn an adversity into an opportunity! Why reinvent something when we already have the expertise and framework for hosting Speaker Sessions which we have been doing for 19 years, and all we needed to do was to take this virtually to their international and local based University Students. Our vision, mission and values are aligned, and this partnership just makes sense.”
On signing the MoU with Leadership Fiji, Think Pacific Foundation’s Co-Founder and Chairman, Harry Hunter said “As an organization we believe in the importance of partnership, and following a meeting with Leadership Fiji’s CEO Sharyne Fong, we recognized our shared vision and values, and saw a real opportunity for our interns to learn from their expert speakers on how to enhance and develop their understanding of leadership, whilst providing Leadership Fiji a global network of young people to connect with and empower. We are truly excited to formalize this partnership, and for the collaboration to begin! “
Think Pacific Foundation (Fiji) is a locally registered Charitable Trust, which works in partnership with Government Ministries, organisations and local enterprises to support holistic development initiatives and achieve responsible and sustainable development in the Fiji Islands, whilst engaging international and local youths and university students on projects, placements and programmes via our UK based social enterprise – Think Pacific Ltd.
Since 2009 the Think Pacific Foundation have facilitated more than 200 projects across 9 provinces in Fiji, with the aim of supporting local aims including the Healthy Islands initiative, and the Fiji National Development Plan, whilst having the privilege of working with and learning from local communities, youth groups and school settings.
Sharyne added; “As Leadership Fiji approaches its 20th Anniversary in February 2021 we will also celebrate and reflect how far we have come as an organization and the contribution of our now 470 Alumnus to our communities and country. This exciting partnership with Think Pacific Foundation from January next year shows the commitment that Leadership Fiji has in developing and enhancing the quality of leaders, not only in Fiji, but now regionally and globally.”
The Leadership Fiji Program allows its participants to explore their own values, philosophies, prejudices and beliefs through a variety of issues offered by the program and also offers direct interaction with current leaders across the private sector, civil society and Government.
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For more information about:
- Leadership Fiji, CEO Ms. Sharyne Fong can be contacted on 777 4857, or on email address sharyne@leadershipfiji.org or visit their website leadershipfiji.org
- Think Pacific Foundation (Fiji), Co-Founder and Chairman Mr. Harry Hunter can be contacted on 744 9678, or email address harry@thinkpacific.com or visit their website thinkpacific.com
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