For two young men from the small Besi community in the Solomon Islands, a journey to China is more than an overseas trip. It is an opportunity to grow as leaders, gain new knowledge, and return home with fresh ideas that can help their communities.
Mr Sonny Toramo and Mr Gad Baetolea, representatives of the Besi Youth Association, are taking part in the Seminar for Young Leaders of Friendly Organizations in Oceania, a two-week programme that brings together emerging leaders from across the Pacific region.
The seminar is designed to strengthen leadership skills, encourage innovation, and build friendships among youth organisations throughout Oceania.
Besi Youth Association Chair Abel Wanesuia believes the programme is an important investment in the future of young people.
“The China Youth Leadership Seminar is more than a training programme; it is a platform for discovering and developing leaders with purpose,” Mr Wanesuia told SUNDAY ISLES.
“Its main objective is to equip young people with vision, leadership skills, discipline, innovation and a global perspective so they can return home and become agents of positive change. Leadership is not about holding a title—it is about influencing people through character, purpose and service.”
Mr Wanesuia said the opportunity became possible through the strong partnership between the Besi Youth Association and youth organisations in China, built on a shared commitment to developing young leaders.
“Great partnerships are built on shared purpose. When two organisations are committed to developing people, opportunities naturally follow. This partnership is an investment in the potential of young leaders,” he said.
He said the experience would give the two participants a chance to see the world from a different perspective and return with ideas that could benefit their communities.
“From the bush in Besi to China is another learning opportunity to gain exposure and expand vision. A leader who only knows his own environment is limited by it. This programme allows our youth to learn, grow and return home with ideas that can transform our communities,” Mr Wanesuia said.
Looking ahead, he said the future of Solomon Islands depends on preparing young people with the right values and mindset.
“The future of a nation depends on the quality of its leaders. When young people develop the right mindset, values and vision, they become leaders who create solutions rather than wait for them,” he said.
For Mr Wanesuia, leadership is about giving back to others.
“To me, this is not simply a privilege; it is a responsibility. Leadership is about serving others. Whatever I learn must be transferred to the next generation so that they, in turn, become leaders who positively transform Solomon Islands as a whole.”
The Besi Youth Association has wished Mr Toramo and Mr Baetolea every success as they proudly represent both the association and Solomon Islands during the leadership seminar in China.
