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Program
Plenary / Keynote

Opening Session

Monday 5 October 2026 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Ballroom 2

About this session

The Opening Plenary Session of the Vale ni Vanua Knowledge Exchange: Pacific Pre-COP31, in the Ballroom at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. Doors and seating open from 8:45 AM, and the program runs from 9:30 AM to 11:45 AM. The order of proceedings is below, and the program can also be downloaded as a PDF.

Speakers

IB
Mr. Inoke Bainimarama
Master of Ceremony
JB
Reverend James Bhagwan
Pacific Conference of Churches
LT
Hon. Lynda Tabuya
Minister for Environment and Climate Change
Fiji
CB
Hon. Chris Bowen MP
Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Australia
SH
Ms Sally Higgins
COP31 Presidency Youth Climate Champion
MI
Ms Miliana Iga
Pacific representative
Pacific Youth Council
EI
Ms Emeline Siale Ilolahia
Executive Director
Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO)
RV
Dr Rufino Varea
Director
Pacific Islands Climate Action Network
NN
Ms Noelene Nabulivou
Official Representative, UNFCCC Women and Gender Constituency
DIVA for Equality
SS
Mr Simon Stiell
Executive Secretary
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
TS
Ms Tina Stege
Pacific Envoy
Republic of the Marshall Islands
JM
Justin Mohamed
Ambassador for First Nations People
LN
Ms Lavenia Naivalu
Pacific Indigenous Representative
MO
Ms Michelle O’Neil
President
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
FA
Mr. Felix Anthony
General Secretary
Fiji Trades Union Congress
EB
Mr. Edward Benard
CEO
Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation
AS
Dr Awnesh Singh
JG
Hon. Julia Gillard
Chair
Wellcome Trust
SM
Dr Sivendra Michael
Government of Fiji

Documents

Agenda

Doors and seating from 8:45 AM. Program 9:30 AM to 11:45 AM.

  1. 9:30 AM

    MC Welcome

    Master of Ceremony: Mr. Inoke Bainimarama

    3 mins

  2. Prayer and Opening Reflection

    Reverend James Bhagwan, Pacific Conference of Churches

    3 mins

  3. Fiji

    Hon. Lynda Tabuya, Minister for Environment and Climate Change

    6 mins

  4. Australia

    Hon. Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

    6 mins

  5. Cultural Performance

    6 mins

  6. Youth

    Ms Sally Higgins, COP31 Presidency Youth Climate Champion

    Ms Miliana Iga, Pacific representative (Pacific Youth Council)

    6 mins (3 mins per speaker)

  7. Civil Society

    Ms Emeline Siale Ilolahia, Executive Director, Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO)

    Dr Rufino Varea, Director, Pacific Islands Climate Action Network

    6 mins (3 mins per speaker)

  8. UNFCCC Women and Gender Constituency

    Ms Noelene Nabulivou, DIVA for Equality (Official Representative, UNFCCC Women and Gender Constituency)

    3 mins

  9. UNFCCC

    Mr Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    5 mins

  10. Pacific Envoys

    Ms Tina Stege (Republic of the Marshall Islands)

    3 mins

  11. Australian First Nations Representative

    Justin Mohamed, Ambassador for First Nations People

    3 mins

  12. Pacific Indigenous Representative

    Ms Lavenia Naivalu

    3 mins

  13. Just Transition

    Ms Michelle O’Neil, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)

    Mr. Felix Anthony, General Secretary, Fiji Trades Union Congress

    Mr. Edward Benard, CEO, Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation

    9 mins (3 mins each)

  14. Oceans and Climate Nexus Video

    A journey to Plastic Free Pacific (video)

    3 mins

  15. Science

    Dr Awnesh Singh

    3 mins

  16. COP31 Antalya and the Action Agenda

    Including Electrification, Zero Waste and Green Industrialization

    Speaker: Representative of Türkiye

    5 mins

  17. Cultural Performance

    6 mins

  18. Health and Climate Nexus

    Hon. Julia Gillard, Chair, Wellcome Trust

    4 mins

  19. Video: High-Energy “Tasking”

    1 min
  20. 11:40 AM

    Closing Remarks

    Dr Sivendra Michael, Government of Fiji

    3 mins
11:45 AM Close of Opening Plenary Delegates move to the Vale ni Vanua Knowledge Exchange sessions

Session details

Format
Plenary / Keynote
Date
Monday 5 October 2026
Time
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where
Ballroom 2
Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa
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Places
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WEB ID
ZZPWXA5E
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