Supporting a new generation of sports journalists at the Sol2023 Pacific Games

Supporting a new generation of sports journalists at the Sol2023 Pacific Games

The Australian Government, via Team Up, partnered with the Solomon Islands 2023 Pacific Games Organising Committee (GOC) to give a new generation of Solomon Islanders the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become sports reporters at the Pacific Games in November and December.

A team of six Team Up staff and partners (from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu) travelled to Honiara for the duration of the Games to support GOC to deliver the Games News Service (GNS), which produces written and photographic coverage of the Games for both Solomon Islands and international audiences and media organisations.

The Team Up contingent shared their media and event experience with their Solomon Islands colleagues, including experience from previous Pacific Games (Port Moresby 2015, Vanuatu 2017 and Samoa 2019).

Team Up’s role included assisting GOC with the planning of GNS for the months leading up to the Games, delivering a two-day workshop to train around 50 Games volunteer reporters and photographers on basic sports media skills, and embedding with GNS coverage teams during the Games.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor Lindsay Buckingham said: “As a longstanding supporter of the media sector in Solomon Islands, Australia is pleased to be partnering with Solomon Islands Government and the Games Organising Committee to help deliver the Games News Service. We look forward to seeing stories of the Pacific Games shared with the world”.

Solomon Islands 2023 Pacific Games Marketing and Communications Manager Laurel Tasa said: “We appreciate the support we are receiving from the Australian Government, through Team Up, and their representatives from across the Pacific to share their experiences with our volunteers, who are very enthusiastic about covering the Games”.

Watch the video above to hear from Solomon Islands volunteers and Team Up partners who were part of the Games News Service team about their experiences on this groundbreaking project.

Click here to explore the stories and photography produced by the Games News Service.