NUKU'ALOFA (PEJN/Pacific Media Watch): The Pacific Environment Journalist Network (PEJN) has been officially launched in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, on the eve of the opening of the 5th Pacific Media Summit with the aim of getting together journalists interested in reporting on environment issues and giving them the space, training and resources to do so.
Launching the network, Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) president Moses Steven said it was good that the Pacific told its own stories instead of oversea media coming to report on issues of the Pacific.
“It is time Pacific Islanders tell the world their own stories and this is a part of it. I would like to congratulate everyone behind it.”
He said PEJN should work with national media organisations to develop and grow reporting on environment issues because "we have to take ownership of our stories".
Earth Journalism Network’s Imelda Abano said it was important to have such networks to strengthen and improve the quality and quantity of environment reporting in the Pacific.
PEJN is registered in Tonga and will have its secretariat in Tonga as well.
The founding members had their first meeting in Nuku'alofa to elect office bearers.
The Pacific Environment Journalist Network (PEJN) is made up of 10 Pacific journalists who had won awards to attend and report on the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) in Bonn, Germany, in November last year.
Membership will be open to journalists from across the region.
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