The Blue Pacific: Leadership in a Changing World

With Palau currently holding the chairmanship of both the Pacific Islands Forum and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. will offer a Pacific perspective on the defining challenges of our time, from climate security and ocean stewardship to energy independence and the evolving geopolitical landscape.

He will reflect on the Pacific’s vital role in safeguarding the health and stability of our planet, the need for a more equitable global response to the challenges facing island nations, and the opportunities for Australia and the Pacific to shape a more resilient and prosperous shared future.

Regarded as a leading advocate for greater climate action for the region, particularly elevating Pacific perspectives, President Whipps’s engagement at the ANU will be a significant opportunity for the academic and policy community to hear directly from a leading Pacific voice on the forces shaping the region. His address will give students, academics and guests first-hand insight into Palau’s perspectives on regional challenges and opportunities, while creating a valuable forum to deepen academic, institutional and people-to-people connections between Australia and Palau.

Following the address, there will be a brief Q&A session moderated by Salā Dr George Carter.