The collaboration of Young Pacific Leaders and Young Southeast Asian Leaders is important for the future of the regions.
By Michelle Curran
Strategic Communications, Pasifika TV
Born and raised in Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), marine consultant Jasmine Mendiola’s relationship with the ocean is a special one.
She says her interest in the ocean has always been a part of her.
“I grew up spending a good portion of my life around the ocean and would spend many summers as a child on a small atoll called Black Coral or Kehpara which used to be the largest grouper spawning aggregation site in the Indo-Pacific region,” Jasmine says.
“This was my first marine biology class – snorkeling and observing all the biodiversity thrive freely all around me.”
The proud Micronesian went on to become an advocate for sustainable fisheries, through practical methods and behaviour change advocate and recently was invited to speak as a Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) alumnus at the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Blue Economy Workshop, held in Batam and Singapore.
Jasmine, who first took part in the YPL initiative in 2019 in Aotearoa, New Zealand, shared insights about her life’s passion and best practices from her projects at the YSEALI Workshop’s Traditional Sectors and Sustainability session.
Jasmine Mendiola presents her insights at the YSEALI workshop.
Focused on empowering youth leaders to drive marine innovation and regional collaboration, Jasmine incorporated what she is currently working on, sharing about projects that aim to support the FSM in its ocean observations efforts.
The is mainly in capacity building and providing technical support in the use of scientific instruments that collect real-time oceanic data for weather forecasts, ocean safety, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and decision-making.
Both the YSEALI and YPL initiatives are funded by the United States Department of State and have the goal of building leadership capabilities and strengthening regional and cross-border partnerships, and Jasmine says there should be more events like this.
“I think making the connection between two different regions, which are also similar in other ways, is important in terms of building and broadening networks, and exploring how we can support each other in the areas we share similarities as well as the areas we differ,” she says.
“Having that available support on the side is quite invaluable.”
The ocean advocate strongly encourages more of these exchanges between YPL and YSEALI to be staged, and perhaps have a few YSEALI representatives participate in future YPL programs and vice versa.
“It is a learning and building opportunity that doesn’t happen very often for our youth, and to have experienced it myself has truly been a privilege.”
More the impact of world and environmental events taking its toll around the globe, collaboration among the next generation of leaders is absolutely necessary, and Jasmine says platforms like this are a great place to start, getting Asia and the Pacific youth working together.
“Creating this space to introduce young professionals from various cultural and social backgrounds to network and learn from each other opens up future opportunities for further learning, collaboration, and support.”
Visit the Young Pacific Leaders and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative websites for more information.
