Youth Parliament Participants here and those joining us online;
Representative from International IDEA Mr Rajan Murti
UNDP Representative Ms Scarlett Fairweather and Ms Yvonne Goudie;
LDU team, and
Members of the media.
Ara na yadra, and a Victorious Morning to you all.
I am delighted to be here this morning amongst you all for this Political Parties Youth Module this pilot programme. As a Youth Parliament alumni, your continued engagement in civic and democratic learning is especially valued, and we appreciate your willingness to contribute at this early stage of development.
As you may know, this Political Parties course is part of a pilot initiative. It is still in the early stage of development, and your participation and feedback will directly shape how it’s refined and improved before any wider rollout.
This course has been developed with support from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance better known as International IDEA, drawing on elements of International IDEA’s Youth Democracy Academy and related civic education modules. The content created has been adapted and contextualised for the Pacific region, with a particular focus on Fiji’s democratic system, institutions, and civic participation landscape.
Ladies and gentlemen, this course is designed to build a clearer understanding of political parties as key institutions in a representative democracy; how they function, why they matter, and how citizens can engage meaningfully with them.
It also introduces broader themes such as political systems, inclusion, and representation, contemporary challenges facing political parties, and opportunities for reform to strengthen democratic participation.
Importantly, this is not a standalone initiative. The FEO and our Institute of Democracy and Electoral Education or IDEE are developing a broader suite of civic education modules, which will include future courses on:
- Democracy and democratic principles
- The Constitution of Fiji
- Elections and electoral processes
- Local Government and civic participation
These programmes are being developed as part of a long-term commitment to strengthening civic education in Fiji and improving public understanding of democratic systems.
A key objective is to help bridge the gap among school-based civic learning, first-time voters entering the electoral system, and those who may be interested in becoming candidates or in becoming more actively involved in political and public life.
The Fijian Elections Office is also actively exploring options for structured training pathways, including collaboration with higher education institutions to accredit these learning programmes in the future.
As this is still in development, we are also considering different delivery models, formats, and accessibility options to ensure the programmes are practical, engaging, and relevant, including both face-to-face and online content.
This is why your participation is valuable, as we are deliberately seeking your input at this stage to ensure the content reflects the realities, needs, and expectations of young people in Fiji. Your feedback will help us ensure the final programmes are relevant, accessible, and meaningful before they are formally launched.
Thank you once again for being here, for your enthusiasm, and for your commitment to strengthening civic education and democratic understanding in Fiji.
I wish you all the very best over the course of the programme.
Vinaka.
