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The Emerging Pacific Leaders' Dialogue (EPLD) 2010

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): June 10, 2009 - The second Emerging Pacific Leaders' Dialogue (EPLD) is scheduled to take place from March 11 to 23, 2010.

This follows the successful staging of the inaugural EPLD in June/July 2006 that brought together 120 prospective leaders from the member and observer nations/territories of the Pacific Islands Forum. For EPLD 2006, the average age of selected participants was 34 years.

EPLD 2010 is an important regional leadership development initiative that is funded and sponsored by government agencies and the private sector across Pacific - particularly the Australian Government. It is planned to again bring together 120 high caliber mid-career participants selected through an open application and selection process from more than 20 Pacific region countries/territories. Male and female applicants will be drawn from business, government, trade unions and the community service sector including educational institutions and NGO's.

The Opening Plenary sessions of the second EPLD will take place in Samoa and the Closing Plenary sessions will be held in Tonga - each over two days. The middle week of the EPLD will be devoted to 10 thought provoking and intellectually challenging study tour programs for widely representative groups comprising 12/13 participants. Each study tour group will visit separate Pacific region locations including Australia and New Zealand focusing on leadership and community development initiatives.

The theme of the EPLD2010 is again "Navigating our Future Together" and all aspects of the conference will focus on the significance of leadership in the context of relevant sub-themes including economic growth; regional co-operation and infrastructure; good governance; security, stability and strengthening communities: and environment, industry, education and health.

Further information on this important leadership initiative is available on the EPLD web site at www.epld2.com. Applications have recently opened and can be made now via an on line application process available on the web site - see "Applications" tab.

Applications close on Friday 17 July 2009.