The festival was launched on Saturday morning when youth delegates from 14 participating Pacific Island countries and territories, wearing colorful Pacific prints, marched through the streets of Suva to an opening ceremony held at Albert Park, on the edge of the city center.
The president of Fiji, Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, officially opened the festival during a ceremony that included a traditional Fijian welcome and cultural performances from many different Pacific delegations.
The president of the Fiji Youth Festival Alumni 2006, Jacob Itautoka, presented the resolutions from the 1st Pacific Youth Festival that was held in Tahiti, French Polynesia, in 2006.
The aspirations, issues and concerns raised by young people in 2006 are captured in the Pacific Youth Strategy 2010.
Itautoka said young people are taking the lead in youth development by involving themselves in processes aimed at finding solutions to their problems.
