FNU’s senior leadership team with students and staff during the World Environment Day event.

Staff and students at the Fiji National University (FNU) were led by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba in commemorating World Environment Day at Natabua Campus in Lautoka yesterday.

In her opening address, Professor Nabobo-Baba said the celebration aligned well with the   University’s objectives of contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

FNU Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba

She also announced FNU’s ban of plastic balloons across all its campuses nationwide, which was another step forward for the FNU family in safeguarding the environment.

“Beginning tomorrow, we are also going to begin the work of making sure all our campuses plant 1000 sandalwood trees,” Professor Nabobo-Baba highlighted. “This of course means that 1,000 cumquat or lemon trees will also be planted as hosts to the sandalwood.”

“Today is about saving Mother Earth.  Today is about encouraging all of us in our communities and Government to make positive changes in our lifestyle and our policies.”

“I look to the University’s senior leadership team to continue making suggestions along policy lines.”

Professor Nabobo-Baba also led the University management team in planting 30 varieties of fruit trees around the Natabua campus in celebration of the World Environment Day.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor TVET and Sustainability Initiatives Committee (SIC) Chair, Dr Isimeli Tagicakiverata added that plastic pollution posed a serious threat to human and environmental health and biodiversity, including marine resources in Fiji and the Pacific.

“Whilst the Fiji Government is taking active measures to support environmental protection strategies, it is our obligation to support the policymakers in supporting and advising through decision-making,” said Dr Tagicakiverata.

In his address, he encouraged the staff and students to be role models of change after the ‘I Recycle Hub Programme’ officially launches at the FNU’s Derrick and Natabua Campus next month – a vital sustainability initiative that FNU will champion.

“This programme aims to improve our staff and students’ behaviour and advocate the 3Rs of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in our homes and within our communities, or any other forums/gatherings they are part of,” he said.

“We have a responsibility to our environment, and we must wholeheartedly serve as good environmental stewards and remember that every action counts.”

Director Capital Projects and Infrastructure, Niranjwan Chettiar acknowledged all the FNU staff members, students and the FNU Students’ Association in championing the event.

“Please encourage those who may be somewhere at the entrance of our sustainability bus, to hop into our sustainability bus for a journey that will not only impact every individual here but leave a lasting impact for our generations to come,” said Chettiar.

The World Environment Day event marked the global theme, Solutions to Plastic Pollution.