Adopt A Ship in Fiji

The AASI Pacific Coordinator, Ms. Anaseini Tukana, extends her heartfelt thanks to IMO and SPC for their support in attending the DSSF/PacWIMA/PacSAR meeting held in Nadi, Fiji, from 28 October to 1 November 2024. This opportunity allowed for a showcase of the Adopt A Ship Program's successful test phase in Fiji, the Pacific’s pilot country for the initiative. The key results demonstrated how the program has enhanced children's understanding of shipping and the maritime industry, effectively bridging the gap between the maritime sector and education promoting Gender Equality. This initiative highlights the importance of introducing maritime industry topics to young students, made possible through the Adopt A Ship Program. Ms. Tukana who was the PacWIMA Executive Committee Member (2018-2023) as the Public Relations and Communications Officer also presented the "Overview of the Regional Strategy for Women in Maritime 2020-2022 on the data analysis by the previous PacWIMA EC and SPC for the period 2020 – 2022. On Day 2 of the meeting, during the "Consultation Workshop for the Redevelopment of the Regional Strategy for Women in Maritime," Ms. Tukana presented on "Adopt A Ship in the Pacific: Current Status and Challenges." Following her presentation, Ms. Marge Bingwor, FijiWIMA Adopt A Ship Program Coordinator, delivered an insightful overview on "Adopt A Ship in Fiji," showcasing the program’s positive impact across the three test schools that piloted the program in Fiji and the Pacific. This presentation not only highlighted the program’s successful implementation and its impact on students but also inspired interest among other Women in Maritime Association (WIMA) states in the Pacific to adopt the program by 2025. The shared vision is for all Pacific WIMA states to implement this essential program by 2030. Mariana Noceti, IMO's Principal Programme Assistant, Women in Maritime (WIM) stressed the importance of engaging students early to support the future of the maritime sector and that is where the AAS Program come in.