Washington D.C. (October 13, 2021) — Cultural Vistas is pleased to announce that Dwain Qalovaki has been named the recipient of its 2021 Alumni Impact Award. The award will be presented at the Cultural Vistas Annual Awards Benefit honoring Visionaries on the Frontlines of Global Community Building on October 27 at 12pm ET.
“Communities like ours have the power to encourage our spirits and edge us further wherever in the world it finds us, so thank you for sharing this award with me.”
Dwain Qalovaki is recognized for his contributions to his field, his commitment to the mission of Cultural Vistas and its alumni communities. The integration of his exchange experience into his professional and personal pursuits demonstrates the impact of advancing community building at the local, national, and international levels.
Dwain is a 2019 Cultural Vistas alumnus of the International Visitor Leadership Program: Young Pacific Leaders. His participation in this program took him across the United States and connected him to other young leaders from throughout the Pacific, many of whom he is still connected with today. Cultural Vistas additionally selected Dwain to speak at the 2019 Young Pacific Leaders Conference in Suva, Fiji. Dwain not only shared his passion for sustainability but provided mentorship for other young leaders to build connections and realize their own projects throughout the Pacific.
Dwain is a two-time international award-winning sustainability manager. He has spent the last decade focused on advancing waste management in national and regional sporting events and low carbon sea transportation inspired by the Pacific’s ancient sailing vessels. He serves as President of the Uto ni Yalo Trust, Fiji’s traditional voyaging society with an extensive sustainable sailing and low carbon sea transportation program. The Trust utilizes a 72-foot solar and wind powered vessel that has voyaged over 70,000 nautical miles to 15 countries supporting indigenous stewardship of islands and ocean management to bring awareness and empowerment of sustainable practices to the communities most impacted.
“In these times that we find ourselves, one of my foremost pressing questions is often ‘How do we design systems & frameworks that work for our communities in spite of disasters like this global pandemic, how do we reinforce community touch points that are resilient enough to weather constant crisis”.
Utilizing his network of alumni as mentors, partners, and bridge-builders, Dwain develops projects across the region to empower community leadership. He currently manages a portfolio of carbon offset projects like the Improved Cook Stove Country Program. This voluntary initiative provides clean and energy efficient cook stoves in 60,000 households throughout the Fijian archipelago while also providing education and empowerment for those who feed and lead their communities.
Dwain holds an Associate’s Degree in Development Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communications and has held roles with Save the Children Australia, Housing Authority of Fiji, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
About the Cultural Vistas Awards Benefit:
Established in 2018, the Cultural Vistas Awards Benefit recognizes individuals and institutions for their influence and notable contributions toward the advancement of global skills, leadership development, and cross-cultural understanding. This signature event brings together leaders from across the business, education, government, and diplomatic communities for an evening celebrating the diversity of people, ideas, knowledge, and skills shared through international exchange.