Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, have both been appointed as Distinguished Visiting Fellows under the Distinguished Visiting Fellows Programme at Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania, marking a significant milestone for Fiji and the Pacific region.
Rabuka will serve in the role from August 2026 to May 2027, while Dr Michael will begin his 18-month term from this month.
These appointments make Rabuka and Dr Michael the first Pacific leadership duo to be selected into the globally competitive programme, reinforcing Fiji’s growing influence in international policy and academic engagement.
Rabuka says the appointment reflects Fiji’s commitment to principled global leadership.
He says Fiji has always contributed significantly to global climate policy discourse, and their presence at Perry World House ensures that Pacific perspectives, lived realities, and solutions continue to shape global decision-making.
He adds that this is not only recognition of Fiji’s leadership but also an opportunity to strengthen it.
Perry World House Faculty Director, Professor Michael Horowitz welcomed the appointments, saying the perspectives of Fiji’s leaders would add significant value to global discussions.
He says Rabuka and Dr Michael represent the kind of global leadership that Perry World House and Penn seek to engage.
He adds that their perspectives from the Pacific will enrich their community and deepen our understanding of the world’s most urgent challenges.
Perry World House is the University of Pennsylvania’s global policy hub, bringing together world leaders, scholars, and practitioners to address major global challenges, including climate change, democracy, security, and global justice.
This year’s cohort includes internationally recognised figures such as former United Nations Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mami Mizutori, former UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch-Brown, former US Principal Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, Susan Biniaz, and UN Environment Programme Director of Policy and Programs, Jo Puri.
