By Suzanne Maxx ©World Team Now
Continued; Part 4
Koro Sun Resort
Birds Eye Point of View of Koro Sun Resort Vanua Levu, Fiji © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Floating Bures © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Koro Sun Resort’s 160-acre sanctuary on the island of Vanua Levu is a sprawling property that covers a campus of acres prominent in its attention to horticulture and landscape design that integrates with cutting-edge architecture. The various sections of the resort’s premises are incredibly diverse and are like worlds of their own. There are the rainforest lodge and spa, as well as the first Fijian floating Bures that allow guests to stay on the lagoon, literally sleeping on the ocean. In the floating ocean Edgewater Bures, ocean architect Joe Nelson’s design allows guests to dive from their deck into the water, like from an anchored yacht. The lessons learned from TC Winston are giving Joe Nelson a powerful advantage in design, architecture, and how to build with the ocean, for islands. He is a leading pioneer for renewable energy on islands. The renewable energy path, and allow an island advantage.
The various sections of the resort’s premises are like worlds of their own, and incredibly diverse. There are the rainforest lodge and spa, a pristine waterfall lake, an underwater pearl farm, and the extraordinary reefs and nearby tiny islands.
Verdant Lawn © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
A walk to the other end of the resort brings you through exquisite ponds with floating lotus flowers that are reminiscent of Claude Monet’s garden paintings and landscapes, and the trees, plants, and flowers create a utopian environment that stretches the imagination. One of the luxuries Koro Sun offers is the coveted private outdoor shower, enclosed and surrounded by tropical flowering plants, and with over 50 guest rooms and villas, Koro Sun Resort is the ideal environment for large groups on retreat.
Water Lily Pond © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Water Lily Pond © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
The all-natural eco foot massage, including native botanical scrub, is one of the coveted Koro Sun Rainforest Spa treatments that leaves guests feeling as though they are walking on water with flower essence surrounding them. The clear water lagoon is ideal for such ocean activities as kayaking and swimming, and the infinity pool that flows over the ocean has a tranquil scope of the vast ocean and reef systems beyond.
The Infinity pool, the ocean, and the sky are endless. © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa Nadi & The Holiday Inn Suva
Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa© Photo By Suzanne Maxx
There are two staple places on each side of Fiji’s Viti Levu, en route to Eco Resorts while the traveler is adjusting to dramatic time zone shifts and jet lag coming from the USA, and these provide a solid ground to catch your breath before getting into the Eco Adventure.
The Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa in Nadi on Denarau Island is close to Fiji’s only international airport in Nadi. This destination resort goes beyond the usual franchise model into island luxury and delicacies that add creature comforts.At the Hilton, guests can have a massage by the ocean or the pool and choose from many treatments at their award-winning Pevonia concept spa.
Dinner at Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Luxury villas and suites include a kitchen, BBQ on the ocean side deck, and a washer and dryer which saves money and makes long-term travel more sustainable.
The Hilton has various stores with healthy items, an island tropical gourmet Deli, and a full kitchen and laundry option in the condo that saves economically. The recycling program is a leader, as the recycling programs in Nadi are relatively new. There are some fabulous restaurants onsite at the Hilton destination resort that have locally sourced native-grown farm-to-table food, natively called; “Kana-Mai-Na-Were.”
The Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa in Nadi on Denarau Island © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
The Holiday Inn Suva Fiji is in the capital’s government and business hub. This Holiday Inn has a 24/7 business center, a lobby that remains the center of networking for the Suva area, and the buffet that offers a plethora of choices including Fijian favorites
Each of these places goes beyond the usual franchise business model into island luxury and delicacies that add creature comforts, including some eco-amenities like solar hot water heaters and recycling.
At both places, you can expect onsite fine dining, networking opportunities, solid Internet connection, and TV, along with otherworldly developed creature comforts that help to accommodate the transition into living the Fiji sustainability dream and then going back to the commercially developed world.
The Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa in Nadi on Denarau Island © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
Aviation and Transformation Taking Flight
Sunflower Aviation offers the Waya discovery sector trip where you fly over the heart-shaped island Tavarua, a surfing paradise. Photo by Sunflower Airways
Of all Fiji’s treasures, the most valuable may be the welcoming character and the loving nature of the Fijian people and culture, and even industries, such as Fiji Airlines, welcome visitors in a big way.
For inter-island transportation, in addition to Fiji Airlines and Turtle Airways, there is the Pacific Flying School where skydiving and learning to fly a plane are options. Sunflower Aviation can support the exploration to find your special island in Fiji for an eco-adventure. Its owners, Tim Joyce and his wife Susan, who have more than 30 years aviation experience, own three other companies: Heli-Tours Fiji, Skydive Fiji, and Adventure Sailing, Fiji. Tim graciously took us under his wing, hosting, while in Fiji. He is sympathetic World Team’s vision and mission and is involved with humanitarian efforts using flight for aid. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with his company. Tim and his company’s shooting star was shining brightly from skydiving over the Fiji 7’s Olympic WIN!
Fiji’s Eco Resorts demonstrate more than the imaginative blending of ecology and economy, beyond the small islands’ welcoming expression Bula! Fiji might lead a path to a green economy, in the execution of the long-term plan with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Green and Blue Bonds, and can potentially be a winning formula for an economic basis to live in better balance with nature.
Fiji is in an active leadership position to advance national-level goals that ideally would help meet the UN’s Global Goals, called the Sustainable Development Goals. Fiji needs more governments to support the climate initiative, but this is an all hands on deck time for our world and every sector‘s participation is needed to carve out not just a sustainably developed future, but a renewed and transformed future.
© Photo By Suzanne Maxx © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
In Bonn, Germany @COP23 Bonn, in November, negotiations continue on a set of rules for the Paris Agreement, which took effect last year. Fiji is in charge of leading the organization of this UNFCC event. From the Government of Fiji Minister Inia Seruiratu shared about the campaign Unite4Climate. The coming of age of the annual youth conference COY13 foreshadows UNFCC COP23in Bonn Germany. After COP23 Civil Society will gather in Suva, Fiji for action. Our World Team project plans to give more people the opportunity to participate, at this important time.
Inia Seruiratu, Uniting 4 Climate SDG Media Zone 21 Sept 2017
Inia Video 1 Uniting 4 Climate, SDG Media Zone (18-22 September 2017)
21 Sep 2017 – Speakers: Mr. Inia Seruiratu, (Minister of Agriculture, Rural & Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Fiji (Climate Champion)), Ms. Ingrid Hoven, (Director-General, Global Issues—Sector Policies and Programmes at the Federal Ministry Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)), Mr. Francesco La Camera, (Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Italy)
Moderator: Mr. Max Edkins, (Climate Change Expert, World Bank)
Inia Seruiratu, , Global Climate Action Agenda (Climate Champions), SDG Media Zone 21 Sept 2017
Inia video 2 Global Climate Action Agenda (Climate Champions), SDG Media Zone (18-22 September 2017)
21 Sep 2017 – Speakers: Mr. Inia Seruiratu, (Minister of Agriculture, Rural & Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Fiji (Climate Champion)), Mr. Feike Sijbesma, (World Bank Climate Champion)
Moderator: Mr. John Roome, Senior Director, Climate Change, World Bank.
Fiji’s Prime Minister Jorge Frank Bainimarama addressing the United Nations Climate Change Conference
“Our Presidency will keep the interests of all nations, including those that are low-lying and vulnerable, at the forefront of our negotiations,” said Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
Bainimarama said he will highlight the risks faced by low-lying countries in a warming world.
We considered that the developed future may look different to those people living cradle-to-cradle with natural systems, such as witnessed with the Pacific Islanders in Fiji (and Samoa—watch for our upcoming blog). The burden of the developed nations of the world that contributes to anthropogenic climate change (human-induced climate change), has a debt to pay to this region. There is also a history of nuclear testing on another’s land and ocean region in the Pacific Islands, Our World Team project aims to do our part in balancing resources and demonstrating transformation. We believe it is possible to have a more balanced world that promotes equality among all living in our common home.
Arrangement of local flowers © Photo By Suzanne Maxx
We were surprised to find such a welcome Home in Fiji! We discovered a path for our World Team project to live into our renewable vision in the Pacific Islands. With our eyes set on the year 2020, we can clearly see how our World Team project might unfold to support the future of our common home by demonstrating solutions. The solutions demonstrated in the World Team media platform and in their subsequent developing projects can be a tool not just for the United Nations in realizing the Global Goals by the target year of 2030, but for all people. How can humanity live in better balance with one another and our resources?
Our World Team project plans to demonstrate an inspirational answer with our island projects. Yet it is not just for islands to answer. Through the transformation of the old, and demonstration of new and alternative systems we may better discover how humanity lives in balance with nature on this planet. In Fiji, World Team sees the opportunity to demonstrate a vision of transformation, one village or island at a time. A possible vision for humanity’s future generations, and on earth through time.
This would not just be a chance to give back, but would also be a chance to learn from the indigenous approaches of the Pacific Islanders and create a way, with World Team, to affect and live out these interconnected 17 goals. We discovered that the prioritization of values, choosing to live close to nature, matches ours within the World Team project, and indeed it is through the people where change can happen powerfully. I can trace my Call to back beyond the World Team project, and beyond my early youth, but here is where my action that began when I was 10 years old, read more here. It has been wonderful to watch the YOUNGO grow the youth movement to aid the social and environmental change, since back in Copenhagen at COP15.
Youth in the Lead: A conversation with the young people changing global policy, SDG Media Zone 19 Sept 2017
Youth in the Lead: A conversation with the young people changing global policy, SDG Media Zone (18-22 September 2017)19 Sep 2017 – Speakers: Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, (UN Envoy on Youth), Ms. Hon. Bogolo Kenewendo, (Member of Parliament of Botswana), Ms. Sebastian Kurz, (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Austria)
Youth in the Lead: A conversation with the young people changing global policy, SDG Media Zone 19 Sept 2017
Youth in the Lead: A conversation with the young people changing global policy, SDG Media Zone (18-22 September 2017) 19 Sep 2017 – Speakers: Riley Claremont, College of Charleston, Veronique Hutt, College of Charleston, Abby Grand, College of CharlestonModerator: Ms. Paulina Kubiak/DPI
As the youth both lead the way forward and simultaneously learn from the elders, so too might the Small Island States better prioritize a path forward for the developed world. Fiji raises hope for our common resources that we will all be inspired to play to transform the world and at least demonstrate the possibilities for large ocean island states. Fiji just might win a high quality of life with its immeasurable ecological and economic benefits for all people and our common home.
Solutions Hour – Voluntary Commitment & Announcements — SDG Media Zone, The Ocean Conference 8 June 2017
We are excited to have the opportunity to work in the Pacific Island Region, as we have begun to with Fiji. Islands are our Call, (Islands R’ US, the campaign has begun) and we are enthusiastic about what can be accomplished coming together with and for islands. With Fiji leading the United Nations COP23, and our incipient feet-on-the-ground actions in the upcoming period of time, we are embracing transformation. As with all crisis, there is also the opportunity.
Summary of World Team Follows as Fiji Leads in the Pacific Island Region Posts
World Team Follows as Fiji Leads from the Pacific Islands Part 1 Turtle Island ©
World Team Follows as Fiji Leads in the Pacific Island Region Part 2 Wayalailai Ecohaven Resort
World Team Follows as Fiji Leads in the Pacific Island Region Part 3 JMC
World Team Follows as Fiji Leads in the Pacific Island Region Part 4 Global View
#Fiji #PacificIslands, #Jean-MichelCousteauResort, #ECOresorts, #WorldTeam, #SOS-IS #Uniting4Climate @Connect4Climate @COP23, #UN #SDG#14 #Jean-MichelCousteau, #FabienCousteau,
