On Saturday 25 October 2025, the Pacific-Australia Youth Association Inc. (PAYA) proudly joined the Queensland Nauru Community (QNC) in celebrating Angam Day 2025 at the Sunnybank Community Hall in Brisbane.

On Saturday 4 October, I had the privilege of implementing and delivering a community youth athletics event at the Mackay Aquatic & Recreation Complex. Through the Pacific Australia Youth Association Inc. (PAYA), and with support from the Queensland Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Fund, I brought this initiative to life for local youth.

Held from 14–17 September 2025, I attended the inaugural PNG Regional Youth Summit, hosted by the Pacific-Australia Youth Association (PAYA), under the theme “Navigating the Right Direction Beyond 50”, the four-day event was a celebration of leadership, learning and the spirit of a united Pacific.

This month, I had the honour of attending the Queensland Multicultural Community Reception, hosted by the Premier of Queensland, The Hon. David Crisafulli MP. It was a significant moment, not just personally, but for the Pacific-Australia Youth Association Inc. (PAYA) and the young leaders we represent across the Pacific and Australia.

In July 2025, the Pacific-Australia Youth Association Inc. (PAYA) and EnglishEquip took another step forward in their shared mission of equipping Pacific youth with the tools to lead. Building on the momentum of our partnership announced in June, the EnglishEquip team delivered two dynamic workshops, one in Koné, New Caledonia, and one in Mata’Utu, Wallis and Futuna, introducing young leaders to English language opportunities across the Pacific.

On 24 October 2024, I was involved in delivering Future-Ready: How Economic Empowerment Can Deliver Social Mobility for Youth, an official side-event to the Third OECD Ministerial Summit on Social Inclusion for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in Bogotá, hosted by the Australia–Latin America Emerging Leaders Dialogue (ALELD) and the OECD in collaboration with Universidad del Rosario and supported by the Australian Embassy in Colombia.

Vanuatu is a small island nation located in the South Pacific, with a tourism-reliant economy that accounts for around 40% of its GDP. The country has seen steady growth in recent years, but it still has obstacles to overcome for continued economic development and prosperity.

The Solomon Islands, located in the South Pacific, is a small island nation with a young and growing population. With a population of approximately 700,000, more than half of the people are under the age of 25. Youth development in the Solomon Islands is a critical issue that must be addressed in order to ensure the future success and stability of the country.

Nestled in Polynesia and numbering over 170 islands, many uninhabited, the Kingdom of Tonga has a long history with Australia. With a population of around 107,000 people, Tonga’s unique constitutional monarchy is over 1000 years old. 

The Australia Latam Emerging Leaders Dialogue (ALELD) team had the privilege to partner with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OEDC) in the lead up to the OECD Latin America and Caribbean 4th Ministerial Summit on Productivity in Brasília, Brazil. 

The Dominican Republic has long been a favourite destination for tourists flocking to the Caribbean. It boasts one of the most geographically diverse landscapes, from beaches, islands, deserts, to colonial architecture, mountains and waterfalls. How has the pandemic impacted the local tourism industry?

India is a country of incredible contrast, with layers of complexity, depth of cultures and religious diversity. As a whole, the nation performs well in global metrics and standards. Approximately 72% of India’s population is literate, there are 400,000,000 children under the age of 15 in India, the total life expectancy for both sexes is 67 years and 98% of populated parts of India have 4G data. Today, their child mortality rate is comparable with countries like Australia.

The Pacific is an attractive business market for many Australian firms who are looking to expand internationally. Situated in close proximity geographically, Australia and the Pacific share strong ties across cultural, sport, diplomatic and defence cooperation.

Panama is a country located in the southernmost part of Central America, situated on the Isthmus of Panama. This narrow bridge of land connects North America with South America. Panama shares borders with both Colombia and Costa Rica, making it wedged between the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.

Every February and March, millions gather in Brazil to celebrate Carnival. Known as “The Greatest Show on Earth”, the iconic festival lights up the biggest country in Latin America. What is the history behind this important celebration in Brazil, how is it viewed by locals, and how is it an opportunity to increase their global influence? 

New South Wales is Australia’s largest and most populated state, with over 8 million people living there. Sharing borders with Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Victoria, the state is known for its beaches, national parks and one of the world’s most famous and vibrant cities, Sydney.

The Dominican Republic is the second largest and most diverse Caribbean country, sharing a border with Haiti. The Turks and Caicos Islands are located 145 km to the north, with Colombia about 500 km to the south. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the Dominican Republic boasts 1,609 km of coastline, 402 km of pristine beaches, as well as beautiful mountain ranges. 

New Caledonia held its third referendum on self-determination on Sunday 12 December 2021, with the ‘Non’ vote recording 96.49% and the ‘Oui’ vote 3.51%, with a voter turnout of only 43.9% and 2.99% invalid votes.

Queensland is Australia’s third most populated state, with almost 5.2 million people calling it home. Sharing borders with New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia, Queensland is the most decentralised mainland state, with only 49% of the population living in the capital city. 

The French Pacific Territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia have both faced different but similar challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses have had to respond to lockdowns, restrictions and changing market conditions to continue to remain viable, whilst diversifying their product offering.