Forty-six emerging Pacific leaders  have been offered a platform to develop their skills to address regional challenges.

This as the United States Department of State, in partnership with Cultural Vistas, is hosting the 2019 Young Pacific Leaders Conference in Suva.

Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Alipate Nagata says following the conference, delegates will organize community service projects back in their home islands.

Nagata says the project will be a weeklong service event which will be held in May called “YPL Leads”

“As Young Pacific Leaders I challenge you to advocate for change and volunteer your time, skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to stimulate the quality of life in your community, or find ways to positively influence individuals, organizations and issues and contribute to the common good of your communities.”

The 2019 YPL conference is the sixth regional conference since the program started in 2013 and for the first time the event is being held in Fiji.