'Pacific Connections' High Level Panel
The 'Pacific Connections' High Level Panel at the European Development Days event in Warsaw, December 2011, was co-organized by the Centre for Pacific Studies, and the Pacific Division of the European Commission's European External Action Services. Pacific Connections was the first ever EDD High Level Panel organized by academic researchers, and the first ever EDD event open to the public.
Pacific Connections began from Epeli Hau'ofa's critical vision of 'our sea of islands' to create a dialogue between EU attempts to connect development ideas to Pacific ways, and Pacific attempts to connect to development initiatives. Acknowledging that international initiatives are implemented through vernacular cultural concerns, Pacific Connections involved researchers and NGOs from both regions and presented an alternate critical vision of Pacific people's lives.
Pacific Connections responded to a request for recommendations to the EU as it seeks to renew its development partnership with the Pacific. EC Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs welcomed and introduced the event, and EU Ambassador to the Pacific Abdoul-Aziz M'Baye thanked and closed the event by saying it 'marked the day Europe was initiated into the Pacific'.
Download a pdf with ful details of the context, objective, intended outcome and schedule of the high level panel.
Organised by the European Commission and the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, European Development Days (EDD) is Europe’s premier forum on international affairs and development cooperation. EDD attracts representatives from all corners of the globe. It is a unique platform for a 60-billion euro development industry with partners and activities in all corners of the globe. It brings some 6,000 people and 1,500 organisations from the development community together on an equal footing, in a true spirit of partnership.
