FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2022
36 leaders selected to attend the 2022 Young Pacific Leaders Civic Leadership Workshop in Sydney, Australia.
WASHINGTON DC: The U.S. Department of State, in partnership with Cultural Vistas, is pleased to announce that 36 leaders were selected to attend the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Civic Leadership Workshop this September 2022 in Sydney, Australia, through a competitive application process open to applicants from Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islands of French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and the American-affiliated Pacific including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii.
The YPL Civic Leadership Workshop will convene leaders, ages 25-35, to provide practical skill development and knowledge of regional issues related to the Civic Leadership pillar of the YPL initiative. Those selected to attend will explore civic and political engagement through a local, national, regional, and global lens, gaining a new understanding of how each occurs in various contexts while also learning how to elevate their engagement and create inclusive advocacy strategies applicable to their work and communities. The program will include pre-workshop virtual activities, an in-person YPL Civic Leadership Workshop on September 26-29, 2022, in Sydney, Australia, and a post-workshop virtual gathering in November 2022.
For a list of the leaders selected to attend the 2022 YPL Civic Leadership Workshop, please see below:
Casuallen Atuatasi (American Samoa; United States)
Sabrina Kelani Suluai-Mahuka (American Samoa; United States)
Ben Gertz (Australia)
Mikey Dyer (Australia)
Henry Manoa Heritage (Australia)
Joseph Haweil (Australia)
David Tuitoga (Fiji)
Komal Kirtika Raj (Fiji)
Avikesh Jai Kumar (Fiji)
Kelvin Steven Anthony (Fiji)
Zaira Begg (Fiji)
Carrol Chan (Fiji)
Taua Ritiata (Kiribati)
Robinshon Chand (New Zealand)
Wesley Harfield (New Zealand)
Joshua Peauafi (New Zealand)
Natalia Fareti (New Zealand)
Amber Holly Osima (Palau)
Dirremeang Miah Ngiraingas (Palau)
Grace Boker Mungkaje (Papua New Guinea)
Melissa Watapi (Papua New Guinea)
Kambi Peso (Papua New Guinea)
Eleanor Maineke (Papua New Guinea)
Emma Minimbi (Papua New Guinea)
Stanford Tokoya (Papua New Guinea)
Charles Dean (Samoa)
Tuileva (Tui) Tuileva (Samoa)
Esmay Tanielu (Samoa)
Vanessa Tanuvasa (Samoa)
Rosary Faatulia Schmidt (Samoa)
Primrose Lagafoli (Solomon Islands)
Jacqueline Padiernos Che (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; United States)
Tatryanna Utanga (The Cook Islands)
Rangi Mariri-Cowan (The Cook Islands)
Dison Kephas (The Federated States of Micronesia)
Leola Primo (The Federated States of Micronesia)
For any questions about the YPL Civic Leadership Workshop, please contact ypl@culturalvistas.org.
Launched in 2013, the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Initiative is the U.S. Government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in the Pacific. Through programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding, YPL seeks to build the leadership capabilities of young leaders and strengthen ties between the United States and the Pacific. YPL focuses on critical topics identified by youth in the region: Education, Environment and Resource Management, Civic Leadership, and Economic and Social Development.