Shania Shayal Prasad 
Archbishop Peter Loy Chong [Source: Archdiocese of Suva/Facebook]
The Catholic Church in Fiji is calling for stronger climate action through music and traditional cultural expressions.
Archbishop Peter Loy Chong believes art can create a meaningful impact, blending spiritual values with cultural forms.
He stresses that the climate crisis is a moral issue, not just an environmental one.
“The symbolic communication has the power to communicate more deeply and more to the heart than words, signs, technology. The symbolic language that Pacific Islands are rich in these kinds of expressions.”
Archbishop Loy Chong says through performances, community members can share personal stories and concerns about the climate crisis.
“So when we tell these stories, there is also a very important way of telling the story. So we use dance, we use song, we use poetry. We will listen to a song, we do to watch a meke that communicates this thing.”
Serua resident Alusio Setareki also shared his perspective, emphasizing the importance of community involvement.
Setareki adds to change the course of this crisis, they must ensure that the voices of the victims are heard.
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