One of two Samoans selected to participate in the 2022 Young Pacific Leaders TechCamp for Climate Action in Auckland, New Zealand has welcomed the opportunity.

Tooa Brown and Faauiga Kalapani will be a part of 50 young leaders from more than 15 nations across the Pacific region who have been selected to participate in the conference.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Ms. Brown said it was an honour to be a participant among 50 others in the upcoming symposium in New Zealand.

"It's a huge honour to participate in something regional like this with other Pacific islands representatives and it's definitely something I'm looking forward to,” she said. 

"I hope to really engage and learn with other fellow Pacific islanders on the key agenda of using technology for climate action and how that can be better utilised for us here in Samoa.”

During the TechCamp, participants will come together with regional and U.S. leaders in the field of climate science and science communication to identify innovative approaches to combat the climate crisis and drive environmental resilience.

Thomas Udall, the U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Samoa says the State Department is really pleased to be able to fund and support the program.  

“This is a special and important program to encourage climate action and provide young leaders a chance to share what they are doing in our Pacific region,” said the U.S. Ambassador. 

“Following the workshop, TechCamp participants will incorporate learnings and technologies to implement seed grant-funded projects to mobilise climate change stakeholders in their communities.” 

The White House, in a statement issued on the symposium during the recent inaugural U.S. Pacific Islands Summit Country in Washington D.C. late last month, said they will work with the Young Pacific Leaders program.

“We will work with the Young Pacific Leaders program to increase opportunities and develop new initiatives to engage young adults across the Pacific region in areas like education, the environment, civic leadership, and economic and social development.”

Launched in 2013, the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Initiative is the U.S. Government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in the Pacific. Through programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding, YPL seeks to build the leadership capabilities of young leaders and strengthen ties between the United States and the Pacific. YPL focuses on critical topics identified by youth in the region: Education, Environment and Resource Management, Civic Leadership, Economic and Social Development.

TechCamps are a public diplomacy program hosted by the Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State that provides participants with the chance to learn technical expertise that can be applied to address a variety of global challenges.