A Tongan academic based in New Zealand has been named a winner in the Pacific Futurists Writing Competition 2025, an initiative organised by the Pacific Community (SPC) to encourage bold and imaginative thinking about the region’s future.
Dr Laiseni Fanon Charisma Liava‘a, originally from Tonga and currently based in Dunedin, won the Essay (Non-fiction) category with a piece that draws on Tongan philosophy and wider Pacific values to envision long-term regional transformation.
The competition brought together writers, artists and futurists from across the Pacific to explore ideas for shaping the future of what SPC describes as the “sea of islands,” with an emphasis on culture, innovation and regional unity.
Dr Liava‘a’s winning essay, titled “From Roots to Stars: A Felupe Vision for Pacific Unity and Transformation,” has now been officially published by SPC.
The work is grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and presents a vision of Pacific futures anchored in culture, spirituality and ancestral wisdom, while engaging with contemporary challenges and opportunities.
Speaking about the achievement, Dr Liava‘a described the essay as a humble contribution to Tonga and the wider Pasifika community, offered in the hope of encouraging Pacific peoples—particularly young people—to imagine strong, united and hopeful futures rooted in their cultural identity.
The Pacific Futurists Writing Competition is an annual initiative organised by the Pacific Community (SPC) that invites writers, thinkers and artists from across the region to imagine thriving and resilient futures for the “Blue Pacific Continent.”
The competition explores themes including climate resilience, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cultural grounding and traditional knowledge through short stories, essays, poetry and visual narratives.
Winners receive regional recognition and may be offered opportunities to participate in future Pacific Futurists network conferences and related initiatives.
