The contestants of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) 2025 have discussed climate change as its impacts as one of the pressing issues affecting the Pacific region.
During a press conference on Sunday afternoon at the Honiara Hotel Campus room the contestants shared their views about climate change.
When asked by the media what are some ways to address the rising issue of climate change in the Pacific using the MPIP Platform, Miss Samoa, Litara Ieremia-Allan said, when she thinks about the Pacific, she thinks resilience as well as innovation.
“With the recent COP29, which Kimberly (Miss Kiribati) and I had the opportunity to attend and connect with other Pacific youth and talk about innovative ideas and practices contributing towards positive initiatives with climate change.
“But I think the biggest thing I would say that I hope we would do on this platform is…a lot of time it’s not about me inventing the wheel, it’s about highlighting the people that are already doing it down here.
“And one thing that I hope that I’ll continue to do this week is highlight our youths’ voices that are often leading the charge in these areas,” Miss Samoa said.
Miss Kiribati, Kimberly Tokanang echoed similar sentiments saying the COP29 was a big experience and it was a way bigger platform where they had the opportunity to share stories on a bigger stage, on a world stage.
“This Pageant is regional and this is encouraging and reminding our young women that we are empowered if we do the action and it starts from our home.
“Even though we are on the frontlines of climate change and we contribute to zero (0), at least.
“In Kiribati, we contribute to 0.001%, but we are facing the impacts. However, that’s not the end of it; we have a voice and we have a lot of young people in this generation and with a lot of voices comes great action. That’s what I’m hoping to promote as well in this platform,” Miss Kiribati said.
“The theme in itself, ‘Leadership in Diversity and Adversity, Pacific Islands are facing a lot of different adversities but at the same time also similar adversities, and climate change, unfortunately is the number one that I can think of.
“But I believe, we, as young Pacific Islanders, we are creative and we are out spoken, thanks to our older generation who have paved that way for us.
“If we continue on that same path, encourage each other, like in this Pageant, I noticed that we are all fighting similar fights.
“Therefore, this is such a privilege and I love that we are addressing this, not just the beauty on the outside but the beauty within as well,” said Miss Kiribati.
Contributing as well, Miss PNG, May Torrowi Hasola said for her, climate change has a very special place in her heart.
“I come from the autonomous region of Bougainville in PNG, specifically the Carteret Islands. It’s one of the first islands to be affected by climate change.
“I always believe that “To whom much is given, much is expected”. There’s always responsibility that comes with the opportunities that you are given and for me, being a contestant on this pageant, I feel a sense of responsibility for my people to voice such issue, to continue to be the voice of the things they are facing and this is not just for my Island but the rest of the Pacific Islands as well,” said Miss PNG.
Miss Nauru, Charlei Andrianna Deiye said, everyone are all impacted by climate change since they were small.
“In Nauru, we heavily depend on our land for our culture, whether it’s our living or our food. But due to climate change, we cannot preserve our culture because we are losing our land.
“Therefore, what I would do in this platform is go on social media and raise awareness about the impacts of climate change, not only for Nauru but the Pacific as a whole,” Miss Nauru said.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
