Samoa's Minister of Finance has led a delegation to a gender equality symposium and a FIFA Women's World Cup side event in Brisbane, Australia.

The symposium brought together a host of global leaders, sports champions, human rights advocates, and emerging female leaders from across the world and the Pacific region and was co-hosted by Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong and Minister for Sport and Aged Care, Anika Wells.

The aim of the symposium from 27–28 July 2023 was to inspire generations towards gender equality, according to a press release issued on Tuesday by the Samoa Government. It was a two-day event and Samoa’s delegation was led by Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o, who was invited by the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister. Minister Mulipola was accompanied by a senior lawyer, consultant and international sports official, Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu and Aualiitia Sine Lafaialii Koria, the Manager (Legal) of the Samoa National Provident Fund, specifically for her role in the establishment of the legal framework for people with disabilities.

The symposium was a two-day event that opened with a welcome ceremony hosted by Minister Wong, and the inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People, Justin Mohammed at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art.

A reverse mentoring session was held and paired Australian and Pacific leaders with Australian and Pacific emerging youth and sports delegates. It was hosted by Tom Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and was attended by the delegation’s Taulapapa Brenda. This event was held in parallel to a ‘kick around’ between Minister Wong and the heads of delegations, with the Afghanistan women’s football team players. The first day then concluded with all delegates attending the FIFA Women’s World Cup match between Australia and Nigeria held at Suncorp Stadium.

The second day of the symposium began with a breakfast event hosted by Minister Wong, Minister Wells and Katy Gallagher, who is Australia's Minister of Finance, Women and the Public Service, and also featured a welcome speech by the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The gender symposium took place last Friday and the participants heard from various global leaders on their experiences in driving gender equality, especially in sports, including the first female Secretary General of FIFA Madame Fatma Samoura. A surprise speaker was the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who spoke of America's approach to gender equality. 

The symposium also provided a unique opportunity for Minister Mulipola to attend bilateral meetings firstly with the Queensland Government Treasurer, and Minister for Trade and Investment, Cameron Dick as well as the inaugural Queensland Government Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Pacific, Leata Ala’imoana Roberts followed by a bilateral with Katy Gallagher, Australia's Federal Minister for Finance, Women, and the Public Service.

The delegation also had the opportunity to visit the Queensland Women’s Health and Equality Queensland where they discussed and shared stories about advancing women’s health and equality as well as access to public health services both in Australia and Samoa.

Minister Mulipola convey her appreciation and thanks to Minister Wong and Minister Wells for hosting such a successful and inspiring event and for their kind invitation to attend, and looks forward to working together with Australia to further develop gender equality in Samoa and deepening our ongoing relationship with the Government and people of Australia.

She was delighted to meet with young Samoan women who are making their mark in the world such as Sarai Bareman, who is the inaugural Chief Women’s Football Officer who started her football administration career representing Samoa as a player and then Finance Manager and eventually CEO of the Football Federation of Samoa, then Deputy Secretary General for the Oceania Football Confederation and the only woman on the FIFA Reforms Committee before her appointment to Chief of Women’s Football.

Leata Ala’imoana-Roberts is the inaugural Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Queensland Government having had extensive experience in aviation investment and business, with previous roles as manager of aviation and aerospace for the Queensland Government, and as impact investment manager for Pacific Trade Invest Australia.

Taulapapa was selected due to her appointment as the first woman official from the Pacific to be appointed as a Judicial Officer by World Rugby for this year’s Rugby World Cup 2023 (being held in France from September to October 2023). She was chosen along with two other Samoans (selected from New Zealand), who also join her on the World Cup Disciplinary Committee: former Manu Samoa and Highlanders player and District Court Judge Mike Mika, and former All Black and Manu Samoa player Aiolupotea Ofisa Tonu’u (Jr).

So there will be Manu Samoa playing on the field, and also part of the World Rugby organization, and all join Sarai Bareman at FIFA as global ambassadors for the sport, from Samoa, which is something we can all celebrate and honour God’s great provision and blessings upon our land.