News

On September 15, 2000, a huge and colorful gathering, commemorating OISCA's decade of contributions in the Republic of the Fiji Islands, was held at the National Youth Training Center (NYTC), Sigatoka. The ceremony was called "OISCA Fiji 10 Years Anniversary: Greening Fiji with Youths," and attracted the attendance of more than one thousand OISCA associates and supporters. The gathering underlined Fiji's rich cultural traditions, as it incorporated Sevu Sevu, an elaborate social ritual, which involves sharing of drink of water mixed with special powdered roots, and Meke, forms of indigenous dancing.

The participants included a number of the Republic's public authorities-especially from the Ministry of Youth, Employment and Sports, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, and from the South Pacific Commission. In addition, many OISCA training alumni, local community leaders, teachers and children of schools taking part in Children's Forest Program (CFP) celebrated the occasion. The prominent Japanese participants included Ms. Miwako Takase, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, Mr. Tadanori Suzuki, Director of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Suva Office, and the OISCA-International Secretary General, Mr. Yuichi Kobayashi. The Japanese participants were particularly impressed by a wonderful gesture by the association of Fiji ex-trainees, who donated a large amount of food served during the festival, and thus convincingly demonstrated their spirit of self-reliance, generosity, and positive feelings toward their OISCA experiences.

OISCA started the training program in Fiji in April 1990 with support from the Ministry of Youth, Employment and Sports, which allowed OISCA to conduct the training program within its NYTC. Currently, the NYTC is directed by Mr. Jale Walker Fotofili, whereas the OISCA program is directed by Mr. Shin Hayashibara. During the past decade, 223 Fiji youth completed OISCA training programs, and 51 received further training in Japan. In 1996, OISCA-International's President, Dr. Yoshiko Y. Nakano, was decorated by the Republic's President Kamisese Mara, as she was appointed a Member of the Order of Fiji, Honorary Division. More recently, the OISCA movement in Fiji has been honored by a visit to its training program by President, Rt. Sir. Kamisese Mara, in March 1999, and by the visit to its mangrove forestation project by a group of high-ranking administrators, including four cabinet ministers in March 2000.

ndeed the Government officials' perceptions of OISCA, especially its pro-environmental activities, remain very positive, and they have expressed the hope to see the movement spread to rural communities throughout the country. Given the fact of an increasingly well-established OISCA alumni association in Fiji, it may not be a mere dream.