More than 100 students from the Northern Division participated in the “Your Vote Matters” workshop which aimed to promote greater participation in elections through engagement.
In a statement, the University of the South Pacific (USP) said this was the first interactive workshop with the project commencing in August as part of the Fijian Elections Office and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji’s community engagement project.
“Projects like this go to the heart of our core business which is engagement with our students and providing opportunities for aspirational leaders to respond to unique Pacific challenges that are innovative, relevant and appropriate,” USP Students’ Association secretary general Emosi Vakarua said.
Member of the USP Council and vice-president of the USP Students’ Association, Lepani Naqarase, said it was important to ensure the rights granted to engage and participate in the process was not taken for granted.
Letia Maria a student at USP’s Labasa campus said the workshop provided clarity and built more trust in the election process.
“My one vote matters because it is my constitutional right and I have been empowered today about this right,” she said. The second workshop will be held at the USP Lautoka campus later this month.
