Press conference with Deputy Sec. Landau, at East-West Center.

Pacific journalists cover Investment Summit in Honolulu
The 10 journalists from 9 Pacific island countries and territories we hosted here at the East-West Center had their work cut out for them.

We brought them here to cover the two-day Pacific Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit this week. Problem is, because of the delicate trade and investment negotiations taking place, 90% of the Summit was closed to press. Fortunately, the journalists were able to overcome this handicap with their ingenuity, and by taking advantage of a couple of extra press availabilities we were able to set up for our journalists.

The first of these press opps was with Dan Petrie, acting chief of staff at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government entity that gives loans (“compacts”) to developing countries, including Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, and Vanuatu. The journalists quizzed Petrie on transparency and accountability of these projects, and also why small countries like the Marshall Islands and Cook Islands have been excluded from MCC compacts. I asked if they still are able to give climate change resiliency grants, given the Trump administration’s hostility to climate change initiatives. Petrie talked about disaster resiliency, but didn’t really address the climate change aspect of my question.

The second press opp was with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. He relayed his enthusiasm about the Summit, terming it a “great success” while touting the power of private investment. Several journalists questioned Landau about U.S. climate change policy and how that impacts investment in the region. He replied by responding that the U.S. is at the “cutting edge” of environmentally responsible economic development.

In addition to these, the journalists were able to attend opening and closing plenary sessions at the Summit. At the closing session, several investment deals were announced, including ones for a feasibility study for a new hospital in Palau, and two more to construct high speed cables to bring improved digital access to the Marshall Islands and American Samoa. The journalists were also able to arrange a number of interviews with their country delegations that were attending the Summit. 

Pacific Islands journalists visit Honolulu Civil Beat.

During their visit to here, the Pacific island journalists also visited the newsroom of Honolulu Civil Beat, an award-winning, not-for-profit online news organization. The journalists compared notes and best practices with journalists Marcel Honore, Nathan Eagle, and Jessica Terrell. The Civil Beat reporters imparted their wisdom about covering tourism, fisheries, and energy with the visitors, who identified these as key issues on their islands.

Next week: Reflections from the Pacific Islands journalists and myself on the Investment Summit and the initiative that brought them here to Hawaii, as well as links to articles produced by the journalists.

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

Dr. Gao's 'Trade 101' presentation to the Pacific Islands journalists.

Pacific journalists analyze trade, investment, peace journalism
(Honolulu, Hawaii)—In my textbook Peace Journalism Principles and Practices (now available free online), I wrote chapters applying PJ principles to lots of different kinds of reporting—crime, terrorism, migration/refugees, politics, etc. What’s missing was a chapter on reporting business, trade, and investment using Peace Journalism. 

Thus, when the East-West Center organized a project to bring 10 Pacific Islands here to Honolulu to cover this week’s Pacific Agenda Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit, I knew that I’d have to give some thought to applying PJ to these domains. I was initially concerned how stories about money could be infused with PJ’s humanistic orientation. But as you see below, the tips I shared with the journalists yesterday are a natural outflow from the principles of peace journalism:

Journalist Tim Vula discusses trade in Fiji.

Tips for applying PJ principles to economic, trade, and development reporting:
1. Give voice to the marginalized: Move beyond the perspectives of CEOs and government officials. Report on the impact of investments and trade (and trade disputes and tariffs) on everyday people—farmers, fishermen, workers, etc. Interview these people.

2. Build bridges, not walls: In international trade disputes, avoid nationalistic stereotypes and language (trade war, battle for market share, economic onslaught) that demonize foreign competitors and present trade as a zero-sum game (“we win, you lose”). Highlight the human stories of everyday people to build empathy and understanding across borders.

3. Examine structural economic inequality: How do trade and investment policies and deals fuel economic discrimination, poverty, and social injustice? For example, how might trade and investment deals exacerbate structural inequalities and fuel the displacement of indigenous communities, pollute traditional fishing grounds, marginalize poor communities, or impact tourism workers?

4. Ensure accountability: Following the investigative model used for the Solomon Islands' COVID-19 stimulus, PJ reporters should expose corruption and track whether investment funds actually reach the marginalized groups they were intended to assist. (see Story) This also means critically analyzing government and corporate statistical claims—such as job creation or green investment promises—instead of reporting them as undisputed facts.

5. Report counternarratives: This would include:
a. Reporting on peace dividends (stories where business and trade have successfully fostered reconciliation or stability, or strengthened ties between countries)
b. Reporting on the invisible effects of economic conflicts like lost jobs, small business degradation, and natural resource depletion.
c. Stories that shift the focus from the "US vs. China" narratives. Instead, report on how specific trade or security deals impact the daily lives and agency of local Pacific Islanders.
d. Highlight how shared interests and economic and trade collaboration can create mutual benefits for everyday people. (instead of framing trade as a “we win, you lose” zero-sum game).

Randy Smith presents on trade, business reporting.

Yesterday’s workshop for the 10 journalists from 9 Pacific Island countries/territories also included informative presentations by Stewart Yerton (Honolulu Civil Beat reporter); Dr. Guanlin Gao (professor, Chaminade University); and Randy Smith (Univ. of Missouri professor emeritus; president Alfred Friendly Press Partners). Smith discussed the basics of business and trade reporting, including the importance of making the complex understandable, and infusing each story with people (per peace journalism’s suggestion), data, and expertise. Yerton explored the nuances of reporting about trade deals, reminding the journalists about balancing the pros and cons while holding officials accountable. Dr. Gao gave a lively presentation, sort of a Pacific Trade and Investment 101, where she emphasized that products are mostly jointly produced (“co-production”), with different components and different manufacturing steps for any single product taking place in many different countries.

Today, the Pacific Islands journalists begin reporting about the Investment Summit. I'll write about their experiences during the summit, and at a field trip to the Civil Beat newsroom, later this week.

Journalist Leilani McQuinn from the Marshall Islands.

Students line up: optimists to the left, pessimists to the right

Hawaiian Youth descend on East-West Center
Last Saturday, it was fascinating to hear 100 Hawaiian youth discuss the future—what worries them, and what gives them optimism. Turns out one subject was on both lists.

The high schoolers from 18 local public, private, and charter high schools in O‘ahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, and Hawai‘i Island gathered at the East-West Center for the Hawai‘i Youth Summit 2026. The day-long event featured speakers and activities designed to reinforce the value of Hawaiian culture while engaging and encouraging the state’s future leaders.

During one discussion about the future, the youth listed as their worries, including greed and government, violence, security, lack of good paying jobs, and being priced out of Hawai‘i, which has one of the highest costs of living in the nation. The young people were optimistic because of medical technology, improving educational opportunities, youth energy, and the opportunities their generation has to globally engage.

The young leaders were both encouraged and worried about Artificial Intelligence. Will it create jobs, or make them scarce? How will it impact their education? I had an interesting side discussion with several students where we discussed if AI is making them smarter, or stupider? They weren’t sure, and neither am I. I told them that we had these same discussions when the internet first burst onto the scene, and that I think the jury is still out on whether it’s a net positive or negative.

The organizers took the youngsters outside, and asked them to place themselves along a long line, one end representing optimism for the future, the other pessimism. Interestingly, the students were spread out almost evenly. (See photo, top)

Hawai‘i Youth Summit speakers included futurist Dr. Lavonne Leong, and the superintendent of the Hawai‘i Department of Education Keith Hayashi. One of the day’s highlights was a performance of traditional and contemporary Okinawan music and dance by 16 happy, energetic students from high schools throughout the Ryukyu Islands. The Hawaiian students joined their Okinawan peers in a frenetic, laughter-filled conga line. 

Young Okinawan performer

According to organizers, the post-Summit survey taken by the students showed that 80% felt that the event was "very valuable/interesting," while no one said it wasn't worth giving up their Saturday to attend. I couldn’t agree more. It was indeed a Saturday well spent.

Jefferson Fellowship
A program I coordinate for the East-West Center just launched this week. This program, the Jefferson Fellowships, will bring together regional journalists in Honolulu, Tokyo, and Seoul Oct. 25-Nov. 12, 2026 to study and report about AI. Applications will close March 10. See full details, and link to application, here: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/apply/2026-jefferson-fellowships . It's a great opportunity!

Students replenish old timer's supply of optimism
Amidst these dark times, a ray of optimism shown on me this week, when I had the privilege of meeting with two extraordinary students. I was wowed by these young ladies and their energy, intelligence, and drive to make the world a better place.

The first student whom I’ll call Irina Zoomed in from Florida to discuss her plans for the future. A friend-of-a-friend connected us. Irina is 17, yet the discussion we had was much more reminiscent of a similar discussion I’ve had with bright post-grad students in their mid 20’s. Irina is torn between pursuing a career in international law or one in international diplomacy and development. The scope and sophistication of her questions was impressive. 

AI-generated image. Interesting--these seem to
be getting better and better.

As we spoke, I was honest with her about the obstacles she’ll face in today’s world of diplomacy and international development. At the State Dept. in 2025, over 1,350 employees were laid off, with roughly 1,000 civil service and 250 Foreign Service members receiving reduction in force notices (GovernmentExecutive.com). Understandably, morale is at an all-time low, with 98% of foreign service survey respondents saying morale had declined since January 2025. (CNN)

Things weren’t much better in 2025 for international organizations. For example, job posting were down 25% last year at the budget-strapped UN (Devex.org).

Despite all of this, I suggested to Irina that the situation has got to improve (it can’t get much worse!) for foreign service and international development specialists. Jobs in this field are so incredibly interesting, challenging, and rewarding that I can still recommend this kind of work even in the current climate. Irina enthusiastically agreed, and will be seeking an international relations undergraduate degree at an east coast university TBD.

The second young woman whom I’ll call Myra and her university professor Zoomed me from India. Myra is spending a post-undergraduate year as a researcher before she enters a graduate program. Myra is interested in writing a dissertation about peace journalism, and her professor wants to include more peace journalism instruction at her university in western India. Joining Myra and I on the call was the outstanding Indian journalist Priya Sen, with whom I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with on several projects.

Like Irina, Myra’s questions were sophisticated and challenging. Priya discussed the difficulty of practicing peace journalism in India, though her work and those of several other journalists she cited demonstrates that peace reporting is possible in India. (For example, see Priya’s ‘voice of the marginalized’ story on survivors of the recent Delhi rots-- https://religionnews.com/2025/11/25/survivors-of-hindu-muslim-riots-find-healing-in-womens-empowerment/ ) Despite these challenges, I told Myra that peace journalism is an aspiration, a goal worthy of stiving towards whether we reach the end point of a PJ-dominated media landscape or not. She agreed.

My visits with Myra and Irina lifted my spirits and reminded me to be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to serve as a peace journalist, teacher, international aid provider, and now as a media program coordinator at the East-West Center in Honolulu. I hope that Irina and Myra’s careers are as fulfilling as mine has been.

 

 

 

At the “Essential Tools for Pakistani Journalists" workshop 
on Zoom and live in Islamabad.

Pakistani journalists explore challenges, AI, peace journalism
If you want a lengthy, detailed conversation, ask a Pakistani reporter to list the challenges faced by journalists in their country.

This is exactly what I did during a Zoom discussion last night with about 20 Pakistani journalist during the launch event of a multi-year project called, “Essential Tools for Pakistani Journalists.”

As the reporters listed their challenges, several themes repeatedly surfaced. One was a lack of official sources and access to credible information, which in turn helps to fuel rumors and mis and disinformation. The sad economic state of the media was also mentioned repeatedly, including newsroom downsizing, poor salaries, and inadequate resources needed to facilitate reporting. The third major theme that emerged was about biased, subjective, and polarizing reporting—a fact exacerbated by political pressure exerted by media house owners who are themselves politicians, or in bed with politicians. Also, the reporters decried a lack of training for journalists in identifying and combating disinformation and deepfakes. Finally, the journalists cited concerns about censorship, and about a flimsy legal framework and judicial system that offers no legal cover for investigative reporters who are just trying to do their jobs.

At the introductory session, I also presented the basics of peace journalism, and discussed how this is especially relevant in the ongoing Pakistan vs. India context. This led us into an introduction of mis and disinformation, and another discussion about the extent of the problem in Pakistan. The journalists said that “influencer journalism” and citizen journalism are problematic, and that the false information they spread discredits professional media outlets, even though these outlets aren’t responsible for the lies and vitriol spread on social media. 

We also briefly discussed AI, and whether it’s ethical for AI to write stories for journalists. Most said no, although they expressed a collective trepidation about a future when economically distressed media owners might turn to AI writers and reporters instead of their human counterparts.

In March, I meet this lively group of journalists for a three day in-person seminar in Islamabad that builds upon the themes we discussed last night. I very much look forward to continuing our interactions.

The “Essential Tools for Pakistani Journalists” project is sponsored by the East-West Center, supported by Coca-Cola Pakistan, and administered by Rohtas Communications/Pakistan.

Discussing challenges faced by Pakistani 
journalists at the zoom session on 1/6.