Fiji Council of Social Services chairman, Nemani Buresova and youth advocate, Mereoni Chung are new additions to the Dialogue Fiji Committee for 2012.

The two were elected at the Citizen’s Assembly that took place at the Studio Six Conference room on February 9th.

Nemani who has been a regular participant of Dialogue Fiji events is also a Bishop with the Latter Day Saints Church and is a respected advocate for the work of Civil Society Organisations in Fiji while Mereoni is an employee of the Citizen’s Constitutional Forum.

Mereoni holds personal interests in civil society work being a member of the Youth Coalition Fiji, Drodrolagi Movement and was a member of the Fiji delegation to the 1st Pacific Youth Festival in Noumea, Tahiti in 2006.

“The opportunity to be a member of the committee presents a chance to contribute directly to an organisation that promotes peacebuilding and national development,” Mereoni said

Fiji Times article on DF committee member, Kelerayani Gavidi -
My Special Connection with art

Dialogue Fiji secretariat staff and committee last week held a farewell lunch for program officer, Zena Sherani as she resigned to join the University of the South Pacific.

Zena who had been with the secretariat since November 2010 said she appreciated the value of networks she had developed and the knowledge and experience of effective dialogue tools and processes.

“I take this opportunity to thank you all for your continuous efforts in dialogue and peacebuilding initiatives from within your communities in Fiji,” she said in a farewell note emailed to staff, committee members and stakeholders.

She thanked the DF secretariat team for their support during her stint at DF including the numerous late nights at the office to tie up loose ends before dialogue events.

“And braving adverse weather conditions and driving in places with humps twice the size of bricks and roads which are narrow, curvy and filled with pot holes when meeting up with dialogue participants,” she said.

In her farewell note she also introduced her successor, George Nacewa and urged stakeholders to continue to provide their support to him after her departure.

George joins DF secretariat from InterfaithFiji and is not new to Dialogue Fiji having been a past participant and a 2010 Dialogue Facilitator trainee.

George said he looked forward to working closely with all stakeholders as a member of DF Secretariat to bring about positive change in alignment with Dialogue Fiji’s vision and mission.

DF:   How long did it take you to come up with the concept of the painting?

The concept took me two days to finally figure out.

DF:  Can you describe the painting?

 Its a painting done in acrylics. The painting highlights the colourful nature of dialogue. Dialogue is an animated as well as a serious process that requires inclusiveness and openness. Various interest groups are represented by the persons sitting in a circle. They don’t just include men, there are women and young people as well. The faces looking in from all angles are members of society and the interest groups that the main characters represent. They look hopefully to the process. Will it be effective and efficient? Dialogue can be exactly that

DF:  Are there reasons for the choice of colours you’ve used in this painting?

The colours are very random, They are there to show the differences in people. I wanted something very bright and very retro to capture the eyes first and then capture the interest in the obvious dialogue.

 DF: How did you feel about the finished product?

I'm happy with it.

DF: Have you ever received any formal art training if not, then how did you develop this talent/skill?

I did do a few art courses but I have always had this interest even before the training. I love art!

DF: Is this the first time your artwork has been distributed nationally through Fiji Times? If so, how did you feel about that?

In the Fiji times yes, but I have had previous art pieces produced on stamps, posters and books.

DF: As a youth representative on the committee of DF, what are your feelings about the potential of using the arts to promote dialogue particularly for youths?

I think the potential is enormous and cannot be denied! Using creative arts even in dialogue will make it interesting and it will allow for greater interpretation and understanding!

DF: Any other comments?

It was a pleasure doing this art piece for DFS.

In thinking about what to say in  this brief reflection, I looked up “dialogue” on  the internet. There were over 80 references to the term and, in  particular, to dialogue in Fiji during the past ten years. In a sense this surprised me, but really, it is understandable.

Dialogue may be a foreign word for most Pacific islanders  but in essence it is the same process as “talanoa” – a concept well know to all of us who live in this part of the world.

Both dialogue and talanoa seek to achieve better understanding and co-operation  across relationships. They attempt to advance knowledge and viewpoints about issues. They strive to reduce ill feeling and foster goodwill and respect. They envisage  discussion in a controlled and safe arena.

Both dialogue and talanoa are positive concepts and the outcomes are usually productive. No one owns the process. But groups of people, like Dialogue Fiji, facilitate procedures so that individuals can exercise their basic human right to express themselves freely on matters that impact on their lives. 

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