Meet Hon. Mr. Shivneet Kumar
Meet Hon. Mr. Shivneet Kumar. He is the Vice-President and Executive Committee Member here at United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
Mr. Kumar is one of the longest serving members of UNA Fiji and who has contributed a lot towards the growth of the organization.
He shared about his UNA Fiji journey.
"My journey at UNA Fiji until today has been nothing short of Life-Changing. If my 16-year-old self would see me now, it would not recognize the person I have become," Mr. Kumar said.
When he first joined UNA Fiji back in 2018, he was just a typical teenage boy.
He was an introvert, spent too much time playing video games, and dreamed of success without putting in any effort.
Mr. Kumar's first few weeks at UNA Fiji were extremely difficult as for the first time, he had to step out of his comfort zone and challenge himself to do better.
Mr. Kumar said he was fortunate to be mentored by the Hon. President, Mr. Akmal Ali, who never gave up on him even when he made so many mistakes in the beginning.
As the weeks turned into months and months turned into years, he was able to climb up the roles and prove himself to be a leader.
By this time, one of the biggest lessons Mr. Kumar has learnt is that “Communication is Key”, no matter what the task is or what position you hold, it is critical to be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas to people.
"At UNA Fiji, we believe that anything is possible if only we start to communicate properly with each other. Communicate if you are sick and can’t attend a meeting, communicate if you do not understand an instruction, communicate if you have an idea to improve a system, anything is possible if we all understand this one simple idea that is to be able to Communicate," he said.
Mr. Kumar is grateful to get the opportunity to graduate from the Basic & Intermediate Diplomacy Training Programme. Apart from his graduating certificates, Mr. Kumar also got the Most Jovial Award (BDTP) and The Activist Award (IDTP).
These awards acted as a major burst of motivation and encouragement from the Association for him to do better every single day to become the leader of tomorrow.
Last year, Mr. Kumar received the Most Outstanding Member Award (2020 - 2022) for his continuous hard work, support, and contributions towards the growth of the organization.
Mr. Kumar said the amount of knowledge and lessons that he has learned from being part of UNA Fiji is immeasurable.
"I am proud to say that I am a changed man who is now putting in every hint of effort into becoming a successful leader. So, I urge you all to step out of your comfort zones, challenge yourselves to do better, and never forget the power of communication," Mr. Kumar said.
Furthermore, he graduated from Rishikul Sanatan College. Mr. Kumar is currently enrolled at the University of the South Pacific (USP), undertaking a Bachelor of Science Degree (Electrical/Electronic Engineering and Computer Science) with a National Toppers Scholarship.
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Meet Ambassador Hon. Mr. Amenatave V Yauvoli
Meet Ambassador Hon. Mr. Amenatave V Yauvoli (Amena). Ambassador Mr. Yauvoli is the Patron of UNA Fiji. As our Patron, he acts as our Ambassador, Chief Adviser, and Motivator.
Ambassador Mr. Yauvoli is currently the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Fiji to the Republic of Indonesia;High Commissioner to Singapore; High Commissioner to Malaysia; Permanent Representative to UNESCAP in Bangkok. Before this, he was the Roving Ambassador /High Commissioner to the Pacific Islands / Special Envoy to CROP agencies (ad-interim).
Ambassador Mr. Amena is a seasoned Fijian/Pacific civil servant and diplomat. He was the Director-General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat in Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu, a post he assumed in April 2016.
Before joining the MSG Secretariat, he was Interim Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) with the subsequent appointment as Fiji’s Ambassador for Climate Change and Oceans, with both positions being resident in Suva, Fiji.
Apart from other senior Fijian Government appointments, Ambassador Mr. Amena had also served as Senior Policy Adviser for Sustainable Development with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) from January 2004 to December 2005 and Manager/Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community North Pacific Regional Office in the Federated States of Micronesia from February 2008 to December 2012.
Ambassador Mr. Amena also served as Fiji’s Diplomatic Deputy Representative in New York from 2000 to 2003 and also previously served as Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Permanent Secretary of Commerce, Investment, Industry, and Communication in the Fijian Government.
Since 2000 to date, Ambassador Mr. Amena has been involved widely in international negotiations at the UN in the areas of sustainable development, oceans, and climate change, the latter as Chair of the Group of 77 & China, and Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation under the UN Climate.
Ambassador Mr. Amena graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management from the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 1988, a Master of Commerce (Honours) in Development Economics from the University of Wollongong, Australia in 1996. He has attended numerous courses and attachments throughout his career, including a three months attachment with the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Yauvoli has contributed enormously to public policy discourses for Fiji and the Pacific region in the areas of finance, trade, climate change, and sustainable development.
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Meet Ambassador Hon. Mr. Ishoda
Meet Ambassador Hon. Mr. Ishoda. He is the Senior Vice-Patron of UNA Fiji. As our Patron, he acts as our Ambassador, Adviser, and Motivator.
Ambassador Mr. Ishoda is the Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the Republic of Korea. He had previously served as the 7th Ambassador appointed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to Fiji, the Pacific Islands, and the Regional Organizations based in Suva with core responsibilities as key political advisor to the President and Cabinet members and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Prior to his appointment, he was the Charge‘d Affaires and later the Deputy Chief of Mission for the RMI Embassy in Fiji. Responsibilities included the advancement of RMI's political, social, economical, and cultural agenda for Fiji, Regional Organizations, and Pacific Island Countries. Key outputs included the greater regional integration of RMI’s Climate Change Policy and Nuclear Justice agenda within key institutions and across Pacific narratives.
Ambassador Mr. Ishoda had been a key technical lead in regional policy development and reforms of the political, economical, and social issues across different Pacific Leaders Agenda, which includes the Blue Pacific Narrative, the Boe Declaration, and other important regional agendas placing RMI's interests for implementation strategies.
As a principle political advisor, His Excellency has chaired and participated in many regional working committees that have advanced RMI's political position and negotiation leverage in key regional outcomes and strategies.
In his several years of work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has worked in different capacities from senior policy advisor for Multilateral Environmental Agreements, negotiator to on climate change, including a member of the 2013-2015 national team leading negotiations towards the Paris Agreement. He was also involved as a negotiator for the SIDS SAMOA Pathway 2015 and the 2030 Global Development Agenda (SDG2030).
In recent developments, Ambassador Mr. Ishoda has been highly involved in the Pacific Islands Forum Officials’ discussions in the policy decision-making processes and garnering support for the national interests of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In addition, he has been co-leading the discussions around the proposal submitted by the RMI and the Solomon Islands to the IMO on GHG levy, which aims to incentivize the international shipping sector to transition from heavy fuel intake to a more sustainable and low carbon industry. He had been one of the influential advocates in rallying Global support for an International Carbon Levy and the recent submission for zero emissions and carbon neutrality no later than 2050 leaving none behind
He’s been recognized as a key lead in the Micronesian sub-grouping in Suva where he provides strategic knowledge and advice around arising issues and providing possible solutions to minimize such political and regional strains.
During his tenure as a Diplomat, Ambassador Mr. Ishoda has served under three Governments.
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Meet Hon. Mr. Mohammed Moshin Khan
Meet Hon. Mr. Mohammed Moshin Khan. He was appointed as the Auditor of the UNA Fiji in July 2019. His key responsibilities are to review the accounts, to ensure the validity and legality of our financial records. Furthermore, acting in an advisory role to recommend possible risk aversion measures and cost savings that could be made. This service provided by Mr. Khan is on a pro bono basis. His relationship goes back to 2015 when he got elected as the Treasurer of UNA Fiji and served until June 2019.
Mr. Khan has over 9 years of commercial experience in the areas of managing all accounting functions of a company, Audit Assurance, Business Advisory Services, Tax functions, Management of Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Division, Debtors & Creditors management, timely delivery of assigned financials and key client account management, compliance management, relationship management with key stakeholders, business analysis.
He is currently employed as the Finance Manager at Walesi Pte Limited (Current-2018). Before this role, he was employed as the Head of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises Division/ Senior Accountant – Audit Assurance & Business Advisory) at Aliz Pacific Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors. As an Audit Officer, he worked at Vision Group Fiji Ltd. His first full-time employment was as an Accountant & Relocation Co-ordinator at JVK International Movers. As to getting first-hand experience of the sector, he began as an Attaché at the Department of Financial Accounting at the Fiji National University (FNU).
Mr. Khan is a Member of the Fiji Institute of Accountants has acquired all his qualifications from FNU, which are as follows; Masters in Accounting in 2020, A Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting IN 2018. A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Management 2013 and an Advanced Diploma in Accounting in 2012.
Mr. Khan is a Car and Motorsport Enthusiast. He also loves spending time with his family. He originally is from Talaiya in Ba and currently resides in Nasinu.
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Meet Hon. Ms. Natalia Sagrario
Meet Hon. Ms. Natalia Sagrario. She is the Strategic Advisor of UNA Fiji. In this role, she provides specialist advice to UNA Fiji on what we need to do and how to do it in order to achieve our objectives. Ms. Sagrario has previously served UNA Fiji as Co-opted Member of the Executive Committee.
Ms. Sagrario is a Spanish consultant in the field of international development and cooperation with more than 12 years of experience. She has worked for universities, multilateral organizations, national governments, international agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations in more than 40 countries in Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the island states of the Indian Ocean and the Middle East. During her consultancies, she has now worked on numerous projects totaling over a billion USD.
She is now an established consultant working for the European Union in monitoring and evaluating and support civil society organizations globally.
Ms. Sagrario acquired a Bachelor in Psychology, with a specialization in Social-Political Psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), Spain in 2008. She further completed a Master’s Degree in International Development Cooperation from the University Institute of Development and Cooperation - Complutense University of Madrid (IUDC-UCM), Spain in 2009. She graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Latin American and Caribbean Economies, from The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) in 2010, Furthermore, she has a University Diploma in South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, from the University Institute of Development and Cooperation - Complutense University of Madrid (IUDC-UCM) Spain in 2015. Additionally, she has University Diploma in Humanitarian Action: Concepts, Legislative Framework, and Actors from the Institute of Conflict and Humanitarian Action Studies (IECAH) Spain in 2011.
Ms. Natalia grew up in Mexico but now resides in Madrid.
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Meet Hon. Mr. Ronal Rishay Dip
Meet Hon. Mr. Ronal Rishay Dip. He is the Independent Audit Advisor for UNA Fiji. His primary role is to assist Officers in establishing the best practices and internal control processes in the financial control system within the Association while promoting efficient operation.
He is currently the Managing Partner at Acuity Accounting & Business Consultants firm.
Mr. Ronal is also currently pursuing a MCom in Professional Accounting from the University of the South Pacific. He holds professional membership with the Fiji Institute of Accountants as Chartered Accountant Member, Full CPA Membership with CPA Australia, and Myob Partner with MYOB Partner Program NZ.
While being an Accounting Professional Mr. Ronal has also served as a technical official/ judge with the South Pacific Bodybuilding Federation, a Member of the World bodybuilding & Physique sports federation (WBPF) Affiliated with the Pacific Games Council 2018-2020. He has also served as the Treasurer of the Fiji Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation. He has completed numerous sports management training during his time with Fiji Bodybuilding.
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Meet Hon. Ms. Rebecca Irby.
Meet Hon. Ms. Rebecca Irby. She is the Special Advisor and Representative/Delegate of United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
Ms. Irby is the Founding Partner and President of PEAC Institute.
Over the last ten years, Ms. Irby has served as an education and technology consultant on diversity and cultural awareness initiatives with the NJ Department of Education, Rutgers University, the National Liberty Museum, Nagoya University, and many others.
Ms. Irby also sits on an advisory board incorporating social skills training into the core programs of schools around the United States.
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Meet Hon. Ms. Lorraine Seeto
Meet Hon. Ms. Lorraine Seeto. Ms. Seeto is the Governance Advisor at UNA Fiji. In this role, she provides high-quality leadership guidance, technical support, training to UNA Fiji on Good Governance.
Ms. Seeto is currently the General Manager of the Pacific Corporate Governance Institute (PCGI). The PCGI is endorsed by the Reserve Bank of Fiji, established by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, through the support of the Australian and New Zealand Governments through the Fiji Partnership programme. Ms. Seeto also sits on some boards and committees in Fiji.
Ms. Seeto was with the Reserve Bank of Fiji in an executive role as Chief Manager and Advisor to the Governors. She has also been involved with coordinating events such as the 52nd AGM of the Asian Development Bank in Fiji in May 2019 and various COP and CAPP meetings. She was also associated with the Fiji Institute of Bankers, Fiji Institute of Accountants, University of the South Pacific (USP), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other central banks such as the National Reserve Bank of Tonga and multilateral institutions (World Bank, Bank for International Settlements, etc.)
Ms. Seeto has been awarded the following accolades: Honorary Fellow by Fiji Institute of Bankers, Lifetime Achievement Award by Fiji Institute of Bankers, Women in Business- Excellence and Commitment Award in 2018, and was a Finalist in Leadership in Financial Inclusion 2016 - Alliance for Financial Inclusion. She has also participated in courses and seminars at the International Monetary Fund Institute in Washington D.C., IMF-Singapore Regional Training Institute, SEACEN, Swiss National Bank, Reserve Bank of Australia, Asian Development Bank, and Pure Magic.
She holds a Master of Commerce (Economics) from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia along with a Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Accounting) in 1981 from the University of the South Pacific (USP), Suva, Republic of Fiji.
Her motto for life is being occupied and adding value to whatever she does. Ms. Seeto is can also speak her Chinese dialect fluently. Originally from Suva City, she still lives in her family house in the City.
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Meet Hon. Ms. Arieta Koila Costello
Photo caption: Hon. Mr. Vipin Maharaj presenting token of appreciation to Ms. Costello during one of the BDTP last year.
Meet Hon. Ms. Arieta Koila Costello. Ms. Costello is the Peace Building Advisor to UNA Fiji. In this role, she provides her expert advice and facilitation on all matters relating to peacebuilding to the Association.
Ms. Costello went to school at Veiuto Primary and Suva Grammar School. She has qualifications in Social Work (BSW) 1992 from the University of Queensland, Post Graduate Diploma in Social Policy and Administration (USP) 2002, Master of Arts in Peacebuilding and Conflict Tranformation (2005), Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, Professional Diploma in Business Leadership (USP), 2013.
For the last 30 years, she has worked for the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, ECREA, and the Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding. She also did several consultancies on behalf of the NGOs she worked with then in the recent 6 years as an independent consultant for KKasa Consultancies. She has worked with UNDP, UNOHCR, PTC, SPC, PIFS, Dialogue Fiji, Fiji Women’s Forum, ANZ, KPMG, Digicel, Vodafone, Westpac, Howards Law, to name but a few key organizations. Overseas, she has taught classes in Peacebuilding in Women’s Leadership, Leading Healthy Organisations, Training/Design and Facilitation, Trauma Healing and Awareness at the Eastern Mennonite University and locally at the Pacific Theological College and GKI in West Papua.
Ms. Costello has provided services that included designing and facilitating processes for strategic thinking and action, discussing issues, team building, conflict resolution, stress management, and trauma healing. She is also an on-call counselor for Digicel, Vodafone, ANZ, SPC.
Ms. Costello is passionate about working to build healthy relationships in groups, individually, and with the environment.
When she was young she liked collecting hand-carved soap, from her 17th birthday she started collecting crystals which she does to this day. She is a mother to Shaniah and Kevin.
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Meet Hon. Mr. Jesh Kumar
Meet Hon. Mr. Jesh Kumar. He is part of the Communications Team here at United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
Mr. Kumar joined UNA Fiji as a trainee after being selected to participate in the 2021 Basic Diplomacy Training Programme (BDTP) and joined as a member after graduation. He started out as part of the Protocol and Global Classroom team.
Originally from Rakiraki with maternal links to Taveuni, Mr. Kumar currently resides in Suva.
At 28 years of age, Mr. Kumar has a few academic achievements to his name. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from USP majoring in Land Use Planning and Geography (GIS Emphasis) in 2016. He went to finish his Post Graduate Diploma in Commerce (Land Management) from USP in 2021 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management from the EMERITUS Institute of Management, Singapore in 2022 respectively.
He is currently pursuing a PostGraduate Diploma in Climate Change (Disaster Resilience Emphasis) from the USP.
Mr. Kumar is employed in the field of Project Planning for the Fijian Government and has over 7 years of professional experience in the areas of project administration, procurement, contract drafting, property management and geographical information systems.
For Mr. Kumar; his journey with UNA Fiji has been an inspiring one. In his words, “Here at UNA Fiji, there’s always something new to learn particularly about the workings of the United Nations.”
According to Mr. Kumar his favourite moment here at UNA Fiji was when he was a trainee. “I became acquainted with people from diverse fields of work, age and mindset. I am in awe of the unity that is maintained here at UNA Fiji where everyone is treated equal regardless of race, religion or skin color”.
During the summations, Mr. Kumar represented The Republic of Uzbekistan and was able to showcase numerous ideologies, negotiating skills as well as analytical temperaments after carrying out his research. He describes the summations as competitive in nature that helped him acquire a true picture and appreciation of how the UN actually functions.
Meet Hon. Mr. Yash Maharaj
Hon. Mr. Yash Maharaj is able to bring a lot of changes into his life while being part of the United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
He has learnt to come out of his comfort zone and socialize with people, self-discipline, self-motivation, and the importance of time management and consistency. “This is just the tip of the iceberg, UNA Fiji has taught much more than this, and those teachings were incorporated in my life so that I could positively change as one must reform himself before he can reform the world".
Mr. Maharaj joined UNA Fiji in 2018, and since then he is an active member. He is also one of the oldest members who has also contributed towards the growth and development of UNA Fiji.
He is the Executive Officer in the Office of the Vice-President here at UNA Fiji.
Prior to this role, Mr. Maharaj was part of the Communications and Hospitality Team. Earlier in 2022 he was the Deputy Co-ordinator and then the Co-ordinator for the Hospitality Team.
For Mr. Maharaj being a member of UNA Fiji has been a progressive journey as his also growing with the organisation.
Mr. Maharaj is a former student of Rishikul Sanatan College and has received several awards in and out of school, the award for the National Titration Champion in the senior category in 2019 and the National Intermediate Chess Champion in 2020 being the memorable ones. He is a second year Bachelor of Science student at the University of the South Pacific, majoring in Electrical/Electronic Engineering and Computing Science.
Mr. Maharaj’s favourite moments at UNA Fiji were his summation and graduation, however, according to Mr. Maharaj, his greatest moment at UNA Fiji, was the first day he had joined UNA Fiji; the day was great, the sun was bright, the day was not too hot nor too cold, and so the first impression of the leader at UNA Fiji and the lessons he learnt that day.
Meet Hon. Mr. Rizwan Hussain
Meet Hon. Mr. Rizwan Hussain. He is the Financial Advisor of UNA Fiji. In this role, he provides specialist advice on how to manage our finances. Mr. Hussian has previously served UNA Fiji as Co-opted Member of the Executive Committee.
Mr. Hussain, an initial Educationist is now a Banker with over 14 years of professional banking experience in Fiji. He is currently the Head of Credit at Merchant Finance. Previously, Mr. Hussain worked at the Westpac Banking Corporation as the Senior Credit Officer. Before joining Westpac, he worked in various roles at Fiji Development Bank for nearly 7 years.
During these years in the Banking industry, he has worked on a variety of tasks relating to research, policy and procedures, credit; risk management, treasury; liquidity risks (actuarial), and finance; budget analysis. The tasks have provided him with the knowledge and understanding of Fiji’s focus sectors and relevant development policies, various lending and non-lending products, customer service, customer relationship, financial institutions; markets, financial risk management, business, and international finance.
Mr. Hussain graduated with Post Graduate Diploma in Economics from the Fiji National University in 2020. He acquired a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) from the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 2013, in which he received The Reserve Bank of Fiji Gold Medal for being the outstanding graduate. Before this, he completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics and Graduate Certificate in Education in 2007. Mr. Hussain started his career in 2007 as a secondary school teacher at Evanson Learning Centre – Turtle Island, Malolo Islands, Fiji. Where he taught Basic Science, Mathematics & Physics from Year 7 to 13.
Mr. Hussain loves playing soccer and outdoor activities. He usually plays indoor soccer with his friends and colleagues on Sunday mornings. He hails from the Soccer Crazy Town of Ba and now resides in Nasinu.
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Meet Hon. Mr. Vikrant Chandra
Meet Hon. Mr. Vikrant Chandra. He is the Legal Adviser of UNA Fiji. His role is to provide Legal Advice and support to UNA Fiji.
Mr. Chandra is a Partner at Millbrook Hills Law Partners (MHLP), a law firm having its offices in Ba and Nadi, Republic of Fiji.
Mr. Chandra believes in the work he does with the firm. MHLP has always believed in establishing a corporate structure, at the same time not forgetting its social responsibility. He has been instrumental in spearheading the establishment and operation of Legal workshops in Ba called "Afternoon Tea with Millbrook Hills". These workshops are free to the general public and include a range of topics, such as Domestic Violence, Estate Planning, and Property matters. The workshop is scheduled to reconvene after the pandemic is under control.
He has taken on some tough cases and provided positive outcomes. One such case is Nadan v State (Supreme Court of Fiji), which extensively discussed the non - parole period. Mr. Chandra believes that one must always have a work/life balance. His passion to help others has always driven him towards consistent hard work. He treats his team members at work as his family and always puts his client’s and his team's interest at heart first.
Mr. Chandra also has a keen interest in sports and youth empowerment and is the President and Legal Adviser to the Fiji Professional Golfers Association. While also serving as the current treasurer of the Fiji Young Lawyers Association.
He is a certified golf professional, has been a member of the New Zealand PGA, and is a current member of the Fiji PGA. Mr. Chandra has also represented Fiji at numerous Golf events, highlights include, The Mini Games, the Pacific Games, and the Eisenhower Teams Trophy in Turkey.
In Fiji, he has won the Amateur Golf Championship 4 years in a row, the blue ribbon event for amateurs before turning professional. This is the most in a row by any player in the history of Fiji.
Mr. Chandra holds a Bachelor’s in Law Degree from the University of the South Pacific (USP) 2011 and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP) from the University of Fiji 2012.
His hobbies include playing golf, training in the gym, music, and spending time with family and friends.
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Meet Hon. Ms. Arti Chand
How to manage time wisely is what we learn from Hon. Ms. Arti Chand. Juggling work, family life, academic commitments and dedicating weekends has not been an easy task for Ms. Chand but she has been adamant that with effective time management, anything is possible.
Ms. Chand hails from the friendly town of Labasa and a family of four which includes her dad, mum and younger sibling.
Ms. Chand completed her Basic Diplomacy Training (BDTP) in 2021 where she was awarded the Meritorious Award and the Best Group Award.
She joined UNA Fiji as an active member in 2022 and is currently part of the Communications Team.
She recalls her time during the training where the skills learnt in the training enabled her to improve her interpersonal skills, and offered a degree of confidence for public speaking.
Ms. Chand highlights that with diplomacy training, it challenges an individual to step outside of their comfort zone and helps one to grow as a person.
Ms. Chand holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Fiji National University (FNU) majoring in Management and Information Systems.
She is currently employed as a Coordinator Island Resilience at a Regional Organization in Suva and has 8 years of Professional experience working in areas of Project Administration, Communications, IT, Event Management, Diplomacy, Donor Funding, Procurement and Media.
Apart from having a full-time job and volunteer commitments, Ms. Chand enjoys painting art which serves her as a stress release.
Ms. Chand highlights that the love, unity and respect that is accorded to everyone regardless of one’s age or past experiences is what inspires her to be part of UNA Fiji.
A quote by Lao Tzu, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” is one that she holds dear. She emphasizes that even the longest and most challenging endeavors have a beginning, and all it needs is an individual’s first step and effort.
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#UNAFiji
#ActiveFijiancitizen
#GlobalCitizenshipEducation
Meet Hon. Mr. Vipin Maharaj
For Hon. Mr. Vipin Shahil Maharaj, United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji) is a place where he has learnt to overcome his fears, develop his public speaking skills, and build his confidence. These are a few qualities a budding lawyer should possess before becoming a fully-fledged lawyer.
Mr. Maharaj is a law student at the University of the South Pacific (USP) who is also interested in and aims to be involved in politics. Mr. Maharaj hails from Suva, residing in Khalsa Road, Newtown.
He joined UNA Fiji in 2020 and has since been an active member. Over the years, Mr. Maharaj has held various positions in UNA Fiji including; Deputy Co-ordinator Hospitality team (2021), Assistant Co-ordinator for the Basic Diplomacy Training Programme- BDTP (2021), Co-ordinator of the Basic Diplomacy Training Programme- BDTP (2022). Currently, Mr. Maharaj serves as the Deputy Co-ordinator of the Basic Diplomacy Training Programme (2023).
For Mr. Maharaj, his journey with UNA Fiji has been heuristic and exuberant together with full of challenges. Finding a balance between family, University, and UNA Fiji was initially difficult for Mr. Maharaj but overtime it became manageable for two reasons; Firstly, the realization that everything is connected one way or the other. Secondly, committing one hour every day to UNA Fiji activities, whether to complete tasks delegated to him or to learn more about UNA Fiji.
Mr. Maharaj has made a few internal changes, such as using evidence-based advocacy which is a prevalent issue for this contemporary generation and many more.
Mr. Maharaj draws inspiration from UNA Fiji's efforts in developing Active Fijian Citizens. UNA Fiji has taken on a life of its own for him, inspiring him to learn something new every day while also experiencing many beatific moments.
Mr. Maharaj has benefited daily from UNA Fiji, thanks to UNA Fiji, he has met and spoken with many notable leaders. Mr. Maharaj advises aspiring young leaders to join UNA Fiji as a good place to start.
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Meet Hon. Ms. Shahani Mala
Meet Hon. Ms. Shahani Mala. She is the Executive Committee Member and Communications Team Co-ordinator here at United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
Ms. Mala joined UNA Fiji as a trainee under Basic Diplomacy Training Programme (BDTP) in 2021. After graduation, she became a member and has been part of the Communications Team.
For Ms. Mala, being part of UNA Fiji has been an inspiring journey. "UNA Fiji is my happy place to be and becoming a member of UNA Fiji is one of the best decisions I have made in my life".
Ms. Mala is known for her punctuality here at UNA Fiji. Whether it be BDTP class on Saturdays or any event, Ms. Mala will always be at the venue before time.
Ms. Mala describes herself as an introvert and does not like to interact or socialize with people much. However, at UNA Fiji she has learnt the importance of interacting and socializing with people through team work.
Apart from this, she has learnt the importance of being calm in any situation, being mindful and the importance of time management.
Ms. Mala looks forward to contributing towards the growth and development of UNA Fiji.
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Meet Hon. Mr. Arnold Akshay Krishna
Meet Hon. Mr. Arnold Akshay Krishna. He has been one of the key members behind the growth and development of UNA Fiji.
Although, Mr. Krishna has migrated to Commonwealth of Australia, he is always there for any UNA Fiji work.
Currently, Mr. Krishna is one of the three lifetime Trustees of UNA Fiji who shall continually assist in the management of the Association until such a time that the association is dissolute and/or liquidated.
He has previously been the Treasurer of UNA Fiji from 27 July 2019 to 4 June 2022, furthermore, he served as the Finance Officer from July 2018 until he was elected as Treasurer of UNA Fiji. His key responsibility was to maintain the finances with proper good governance standards and at the same time ensure the financial stability of the association. His role was not confined to the financial side of the organization, but he also helped in managing the Association’s social media pages and carrying out any task assigned by the President, to ensure the smooth running of the Association.
Mr. Krishna joined UNA Fiji in July 2018. In 2019 he was awarded the Commitment and Dedication Award by UNA Fiji.
Mr. Krishna was previously employed at the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) as a Financial Data Analyst a role he has had from September 2018 to December 2021. He started his career at Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) as an intern in 2016.
In 2017 he secured the position of Market Analyst at FCCC. FCCC recognized his contribution and dedication with an Outstanding Contributor Award in 2016.
In 2016 he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce with Double Majors in Accounting and Economics from the University of the South Pacific. He deems himself a proud Fijian and is a strong believer in giving back to the community through volunteerism.
Mr. Krishna is a passionate soccer player and loves playing and trying all types of sports, along with being an avid movie-goer. He describes himself as a foodie who also loves cooking. He is originally from the Sugar City, Fiji, and is a die heart fan of Liverpool FC.
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Meet Hon. Mr. Mavneel Lal
Meet Hon. Mr. Mavneel Lal. He is a member of Communications Team here at United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
Prior to this role, Mr. Lal was the Co-ordinator for the Basic Diplomacy Training Programme (BDTP) in 2021.
Mr. Lal joined UNA Fiji in 2020 as a trainee and after graduating from the BDTP, he became an active member.
He has also received the Meritorious Award in 2020.
Mr. Lal is originally from Lautoka City, and currently perusing his career in Net-centric Computing at the University of the South Pacific (USP). He has been residing in Suva for the past 4 years and loves the environment with the challenging opportunities.
According to Mr. Lal, being part of UNA Fiji has been an extraordinary journey for him so far and he has captured many wonderful memories of UNA Fiji. "There are many moments and activities that will stay in my memory, but certainly the best experience was when I successfully graduated with the basic level diplomacy programme".
Being part of UNA Fiji, Mr. Lal was able to better his communication skills and self-awareness. "And most importantly I have learnt there are many ways in which you can contribute to become an active citizen of Fiji".
Mr. Lal is inspired by the work done by UNA Fiji. "The contribution the organisation has made to the people and communities inspires me to be part of the more to come".
With Class, Dignity & Elegance -
Meet Hon. Ms. Arci Singh
Being part of United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji), Hon. Ms. Arci Singh was able to come out of her confort zone, being confident and maintain discipline in her life.
Ms. Singh is an Executive Committee Member and the Co-ordinator for the Hospitality Team here at UNA Fiji.
Prior to this role, Ms. Singh was part of Basic Diplomacy Training Programme (BDTP) Co-ordination team as a Deputy Co-ordinator. "All positions have brought me out of my shell. Providing new challenges each time and overcoming those challenges seemed fulfilling. These roles have also helped me grow in my new leadership roles at work".
The 27-year-old joined UNA Fiji in 2018 and has been an active member since then. For Ms. Singh, being a part of UNA Fiji has been an inspiring journey so far. "I have had a great experience. Gaining knowledge not only in the art of diplomacy but also being mindful. When life gets tough, remembering the lessons, learnt from the classes with Hon. President Mr. Akmal Ali; has helped me improve, not only in my daily life, but at work as well".
UNA Fiji has also inspired Ms. Singh to develop her leadership skills and taught her the importance of team work.
For Ms. Singh, all moments of UNA Fiji have been unforgettable. "Our ups and downs. The growth over the years as an organisation still astonishes me even till now".
She wishes that UNA Fiji continues to grow to new heights and that she wants to be a part of the amazing journey.
Ms. Singh was born and is living in Suva with her Mum. She was studying law but decided to take a break from studies. Currently, she is working at Mindpearl Limited as an Operations Admin.
With Class, Dignity & Elegance -
Meet Hon. Mr. Nehoray Azan Al-Nazhir
Meet Hon. Mr. Nehoray Azan Al-Nazhir. He is the Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Secretary here at United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji).
The 23-year-old is originally from Labasa but resides in Nadawa, Nasinu with his family. Mr. Al-Nazhir holds a degree in Environmental Health from Fiji National University under College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. He joined Nasinu Town Council in February, 2022, serving as a voluntary attaché, Projects Officer, and Assistant Health Inspector. Later in 2022, he was recruited as Senior Health Inspector, becoming Head of Health and Community Engagement in Nausori Town Council.
According to Mr. Al-Nazhir, joining UNA Fiji was one of the best decisions he made in his life. "I came to know about UNA Fiji through Hon. President Mr. Akmal Ali, who found me as having potential to contribute to the association".
Mr. Al-Nazhir joined UNA Fiji in 2021 as a Co-opted member. "Being in a leadership role, I have found the programs offered by UNA Fiji quite valuable and very applicable to my professional and personal life".
So far, Mr. Al-Nazhir's journey with UNA Fiji has been interested with new concepts learnt. UNA Fiji has also helped in development of his leadership skills.
Mr. Al-Nazhir believes that an advantage of being in such a association is that the members and trainees are taught Global Citizenship. "I personally have found this concept absent in normal academic classroom education and believe that all students should be taught about Global Citizenship".
Mr. Al-Nazhir looks forward to the growth and development of UNA Fiji.
With Class, Dignity & Elegance -
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