Ritika Pratap 
President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere
President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere says that while Fijians are proud of our progress, we must also remember those who still bear the scars and pain from our nation’s journey over the past 54 years since independence.
Ratu Wiliame says the theme of this year’s Fiji Day, ‘To Heal and Hope’, is appropriate and timely.
He urged everyone to embrace healing from within love, faith and truth as this will set us free.
Ratu Wiliame says that like our Blue Pacific, Fijians are at the forefront in steering their canoe towards a brighter future for the region.
He stresses that there is power in healing and forgiveness.
“We have dwelt long enough in this space. We need to clean the wounds and allow it to heal properly. I urge each and every one of us to embrace goodwill and commit ourselves to this national goal.”
The President also states that reconciliation comes necessarily when negative conflict has occurred and relationships have been damaged.
Ratu Wiliame says while many leaders today aren’t responsible for the current state of the country, we will all be accountable for not addressing the issues.
He stresses that it is essential that we unite and work together for a better future for the generations to come.
“It is especially important in situations of higher interdependence where the complete physical or emotional barrier between parties in a conflict cannot be maintained. Reconciliation, therefore, refers to the restoration of relationship to a level where cooperation and trust become possible again.”
Ratu Wiliame says that while we can’t change the past, we can control how we see ourselves in relation to others and how we respond to challenges.
