Pacific Rising Reflection: Networking, Connecting, Witnessing

By Suhra Nahib on January 18, 2024

In October 2023, Hensllyn Pwe’a-Boseto, the office and project manager for UUSC partner the Ecological Solutions Foundation Trust Board, attended a climate justice convening organized by UUSC. The Pacific Rising convening was a multi-day gathering bringing together UUSC partners in the Pacific region to network, build relationships, exchange information, reflect, and plan collectively for the future. 

Hensllyn—a first-time attendee of a UUSC climate convening—shared her thoughts about the experience and the impact it had to be in a space devoted to discussing the vital climate change issues that are impacting the Pacific region. 

Before the convening, Hensllyn was excited to engage in an environment where she could learn from others and establish connections with fellow UUSC partners across the region. The prospect of gaining insights into diverse approaches to addressing climate change fueled her excitement for the event.

Hensllyn identified three key highlights of her experience at the convening: 

• Networking: The power of collaboration and shared experiences emerged as a cornerstone of the event, fostering a sense of unity among attendees.
• Connecting: Realizing that all UUSC partners have different projects and do other things, such as climate adaptation and mitigation and policy. Though her peers all managed different aspects of climate change work, their shared goal was investing in addressing the impacts of climate change in the region. 
• Witnessing: One full day of the convening was devoted to visiting communities in Fiji most impacted by climate change. The community visits added a tangible and experiential dimension to the convening, allowing participants to bear witness and engage in meaningful conversations with local communities and build a sense of fellowship and camaraderie with other communities facing similar climate change impacts.

“Because no man is an island,” Hensllyn said when asked why she enjoyed the convening. “What is working in another country might be useful to another country, so that’s why it is important to build networks. We learn from each other. Also, collaborations can be established for a common goal for all; by holding each other’s hands and working together, we can achieve more.”

Hensllyn thanked UUSC for organizing the convening. She thanked the organization for providing a platform that allowed partners to come together, share their experiences, and collectively work towards addressing the challenges posed by climate change. Looking ahead, she eagerly anticipates continued learning and collaboration in future gatherings.

The Fiji convening successfully built relationships among and between partners and UUSC. We hope that for the next Pacific convening, UUSC partners will leave with the same feeling: enriched by new information and motivated by new ideas. Watch the video below to learn more about Henslynn’s experience at Pacific Rising.

Image Credit: UUSC