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Fiji’s technology sector will examine how the Pacific can embrace digital innovation while protecting its people, interests and identity.

The issue will be central to this year’s National Conference on Information Technology, which will focus on the theme “From Vanua to Virtual.”

Head of Information Technology Training at FNU, Swaran Ravindra, says digital sovereignty is important for Pacific islanders as technology increasingly influences communities and everyday life.

“One of the key things in the global internet governance forum is the need to be sovereign and I think that is something very important for Pacific islanders to understand and technology in many forms can be intimidated into we’ve got our village elders who are worried that things like drugs in the community, teenage pregnancies, relationships breaking, marriages breaking all of these things have something to do with the internet.”

Ravindra says the internet was originally intended to connect people, share resources and support developing economies, but its impact today is not always serving that purpose.

“And it was there to help developing economies for us to share resources more easily but if you see what’s happening right now its doing quite the opposite in many cases.”

He says the conference will provide an opportunity to consider how Pacific countries can build a secure, productive and trusted digital future.

For long-time sponsor Bondwell, the conference also provides an opportunity to learn, innovate and strengthen its work as an IT solutions provider.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Enterprise Solutions Consultant Serafina Wedlock says the event continues to provide value to the company.

The seventh National Conference on Information Technology will be held on August 27th and 28th at Shangri-La Yanuca Island, with the programme covering digital transformation, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital resilience.