Representatives from the Methodist Church in Fiji, Fiji Locally Managed Marine Areas (FLMMA) and WWF-Pacific after the meeting at the church headquarters.
© WWF-Pacific / Tui Marseu
Preparatory works on strengthening environmental awareness through the identification of various tools of communication for the Methodist Church of Fiji and WWF-Pacific is expected to strengthen over the coming months.
The commitment comes after WWF-Pacific had organized a one day consultation with the Methodist Church secretariat on the need to create general awareness on Sustainable Resource Management and Development which is linked to Pillar 12 of the Methodist Churches Strategic Plan of Being Good Christian Stewards of our Natural Resources.
“It’s important to get the message across to our people and I am very grateful for the discussion,” said the General Secretary for the Methodist Church of Fiji Reverend Dr Vakadewavosa.
WWF-Pacific’s Sustainable Seafood Project Manager Mr Francis Areki highlighted that the Methodist Church is one of the denominations which currently has a strategy that includes Environmental Stewardship and since WWF works on a number of conservation issues relating to environmental sustainability, the partnership will enable WWF to assist the Methodist Church in delivering their common targets .
The first of its kind consultation generated positive responses from participants at the workshop in regards to understanding the vulnerability of the environment and how there was a need to highlight the plight of communities trying to understand the changes brought about by overfishing, climate change and land degradation.
“One of things that we are now ironing out with WWF are those details where we can work together regarding information that needs to go to the members of the Church and for those professionally produced materials to be integrated with the scripture which could also be translated for the members of the Church to advocate stewardship” said Vice President of the Methodist Church, Mr Apisalome Tudreu.
“It’s been a useful forum, a lot of environment issues are not reaching our communities, so this workshop identifies the best ways to communicate effectively and try and get our communities to understand issues as to why government places a moratorium on turtle’s or a ban on the humpback wrasse, so the church can be the conduit to promote this message to the communities,” said Mr Areki.
A plan of action between WWF, its partners and the Methodist Church is expected to take shape in terms of advocating and raising awareness for the environment around the country.
This article was originally posted at www.wwfpacific.org on 25 August 2016.
