Suva, Fiji – October 18, 2025 —
The Fiji Peace Festival 2025 was held on Saturday afternoon in Suva under the theme “HOPE in Fiji: Heritage Outreach for Peace and Empowerment.”
The event brought together civic leaders, educators, youth and women’s organizations, and representatives from religious groups to promote peace and social cohesion in Fiji.
Hosted by the international peace NGO Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the festival aimed to encourage cooperation and peacebuilding within communities through education, dialogue, and cultural heritage preservation.
The program began with a poetry recitation by Moape Vadei, followed by an introductory video about HWPL that showcased ongoing peace initiatives worldwide.
Mr. Bimal Deo, MC of the event, serves as the Coordinator of the Lautoka Scouts’ Messenger of Peace Team and as an Advisor for the HWPL Fiji Branch.
In his opening remarks, he stated that “peace begins when we respect our heritage, understand one another, and act together,” and went on to introduce HWPL’s major peace activities in Fiji throughout the year.
He outlined key initiatives including the youth-led environmental campaign “Peace Plogging,” the Peace Educator Training Program for teachers to learn and apply HWPL’s peace curriculum globally, and the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Office, an international interfaith dialogue platform where religious leaders compare and discuss their scriptures to find common ground for peace.
In addition, Mr. Deo introduced the upcoming iTaukei Peace Education Program, which will be developed in the iTaukei language to promote peace education rooted in Fiji’s traditional culture and values. The program aims to help youth understand peace through their own heritage while fostering empathy and cooperation within their communities.
During the festival, Ms. Selai Rasaqiaa from the National Youth Council (NYC) spoke on behalf of the youth, introducing HWPL’s Legislate Peace campaign and emphasizing the importance of youth participation in peace efforts.
Ms. Timaima Vatabua from the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) highlighted the significant role of women in promoting peace and participation in peace education.
In his closing message, Mr. Deo stated, “Peace is not created by one person or one organization alone—it is a process that all members of society build together.”
Joshua Olsen from the Youth Alliance Fiji (YAF) shared his impression of the event, saying,
“As an educator and youth activist, I had not deeply reflected on peace before, but this event helped me understand different aspects of peace and the ways to take part in it.”
Joshua Qalo from the National Youth Council of Fiji (NYCF) also reflected on the experience, saying,
“Watching the videos today and seeing what is happening in different parts of the world was truly inspiring. Even amid the challenges and conflicts in our own country, witnessing people striving to uphold peace gave me great strength.”
The festival concluded with a group photo session. Participants were also invited to join the HWPL Fiji Viber Community, where they can continue engaging in peace education and community initiatives in the future.
