Sainimili Magimagi 
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya. [Photo: FIJI GOVERNMENT/ FACEBOOK]
World Wetlands Day this year was celebrated in the highlands of Serua at Nabukelevu Village, about 70 kilometres from the capital, Suva.
The event is observed annually on February 2, marking the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971.
The aim is to raise awareness about the vital role of wetlands such as mangroves and marshes, with the broader goal of protecting biodiversity, storing carbon and providing water, while also highlighting that about 90 percent of wetlands have been degraded globally.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya, in her first official event and visit since taking up the portfolio last month, highlighted the significance of this year’s theme, “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Culture and Heritage.”
She emphasised that traditional knowledge has always helped maintain balance in sustainable development and growth, especially in rural communities.
Tabuya says wetlands are among the strongest natural defenders, particularly amid climate challenges.
She stressed the importance of protecting the environment.
“Conservation cannot depend on donor cycles or projects. True conservation lives in iTaukei identity,”
Village headman Mataiasi Toma expressed gratitude for the government’s decision to hold the annual event in the highlands of Serua.
He says this will be remembered for generations by the people of Nabukelevu, especially with the attendance of the British High Commissioner to Fiji, Kanbar Hossein-Bor.
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