Community Connections East Gippsland and the Pacific Island Ministry are partnering to give a global voice to local seasonal workers and regional choirs advocating for climate action.
Collaborating with local climate activist and artist Catherine Van Wilgenburg, the group is developing a significant initiative titled Pacific Voices for Climate.
The creative project is being prepared ahead of the United Nations COP31 Climate Summit, which is scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey, in November this year.
The initiative will combine the collective voices of regional community choirs with firsthand interview accounts from Pacific Island seasonal workers currently employed across East Gippsland.
These personal stories will highlight the direct impacts of climate change on frontline homelands, including Kiribati, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Timor-Leste and Samoa.
Through shared song, cultural storytelling, and collaborative community workshops, the project aims to amplify the experiences of workers witnessing the ecological threat to their home countries.
Participants will use the platform to articulate the severe cultural and physical losses facing Pacific nations as low-lying areas confront rising sea levels, intensifying storms and extreme heat.
The project is currently building toward a filmed choral performance and dedicated advocacy presentation designed to be broadcast to global delegates during the international summit.
Project lead Catherine Van Wilgenburg plans to liaise with Creative Victoria and various creative climate bodies to ensure the material is presented directly to Australian and South Pacific delegates at official COP31 forums and side events.
Production has already commenced on a series of short two-minute clips and extended social media videos, which are being produced by the local Living Futures Krew.
The Krew consists of a talented group of 12 and 13-year-old videographers who are being mentored by professional adult digital creators and regional filmmakers.
Organisers are now calling on the wider East Gippsland community for volunteer assistance and financial donations to help sustain the project’s development and distribution costs.
Campaign organisers stated that backing the initiative was a vital step toward securing a sustainable and stable future for upcoming generations.
Community members looking to offer volunteer help or financial sponsorship can contact Pacific Island Ministry treasurer Peter Flahive directly.
