In a pioneering event for the International Centre for Democratic Partnerships (ICDP), more than 120 Community and new members came together on 25 June for the Pacific Connect Virtual Dialogue on Storytelling and Digital Media. Storytellers, change makers, business leaders, SME owners, technology experts and academics came together for a half-day talanoa, sharing stories, taking in lessons from the Pacific’s brightest storytelling talent and networking in virtual and physical hubs across seven countries.

Digitalisation is progressing everywhere. It’s unstoppable. This is the biggest gap in the pacific and we have to find the best way to use it, leverage water utilities data and data from society. For example, that weather is a good indicator of demand, and freezing and thawing have an influence on pipe breaks. All data combined will result in improved operations and asset management information that is decision based.

The Pacific Connect program continues to build on its online engagement through convening the first of many planned Virtual Dialogues. The theme for the Dialogue was Technology and Water Sustainability: Building Water Resilience in the Solomon Islands, and was held on Thursday 28 May.

Technology enthusiasts, Blockchain users, Pacific Connect Community members and the public came together last Tuesday 12 May for the a Virtual Workshop on Blockchain technologies. The 28 guests from nine countries participated in the hour-long informative session on the subject, hosted by Kenneth Katafono.

By the end of the second day, I already knew I had made lifelong friends and partnerships in business.  More importantly, I met like-minded people willing to work hard to promote the Pacific and all the wonderful talents we acquire as a collective.