People connections in the Pacific
People connections in the Pacific
This page gives an overview of Australia's work in the People Connections sector, whose programs align with Pillar 2 of the Pacific Regional COVID-19 Development Response Plan and aim to enhance stability by helping to build the resilience of Pacific people and their communities.
Australia's people-to-people connections with our Pacific family are more important than ever this year as we face the pandemic together.
Under the Step-up, Australia has launched a range of measures since 2017 to reinforce people-to-people links across our region through expanded sports, education, media, cultural and church partnerships.
These programs place people at the heart of Australia's partnerships in the Pacific. While the scale and impact of the pandemic globally has meant delays to some planned activities and events until conditions improve, much of our people-to-people program continues in 2021 with a fresh focus on digital delivery, innovation and flexibility.
Partnerships
Sports partnerships
Australia and the Pacific have a shared passion for sport. PacificAus Sports brings us even closer, by unlocking the high-performance potential in our talented regional sports community.
Church partnerships
Education partnerships
Investing in better education outcomes for all children and youth across the Pacific has been a long-standing objective of Australia's aid program.
Under the Pacific Step-up, Australia is further deepening educational links with the region through expanded secondary and primary level teacher training, exchanges and engagement, and a targeted science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching program. These education development programs have adapted to COVID-19 with innovation and flexibility, pivoting to deliver core activities online. Working collaboratively with Pacific education partners is central to our approach.
Media partnerships in the pacific
Australia works closely with Pacific media to create high quality original content, improve broadcasting infrastructure and to build professional media networks. This is delivered through Australia's long-standing Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS).
Related initiatives
- Pacific Research Program
- Australian Aid: Friendship Grants program
- Pacific Connect program
- Digital Pasifik