Guidelines for Side Events

OVERVIEW

The Pacific Islands Forum, is the region’s premier political and economic policy organization. Founded in 1971, it comprises 18 Forum Members: Australia, Cook, Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Members come together to address pressing issues and challenges, foster collaboration and cooperation in the pursuit of shared goals. Members work together with associate and observer member states, partner organizations, the private sector and civil society organizations and friends beyond the Blue Pacific Continent, to promote a resilient Pacific with a vision of peace, harmony,security, social inclusion and prosperity that ensures all Pacific peoples can lead free, healthy and productive lives.

As a founding member, and host of the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum Meetings (PIFLM), the Kingdom of Tonga, after having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic followed by the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, amidst many development challenges faced by the region, understands first-hand the importance of building resilience at all levels – community, national and regional, inspired for the 2024 theme on its 53rd session to be a – “Transformative resilient Pasifiki – Build Better Now”.

PIFLM Side events serve as an inclusive and collaborative space for Forum Member states and accredited organisations to convene meetings, dialogues, and host events to show-case their critical work, innovative solutions or contributions to thematic issues and trends that Pacific Islands Forum’s Leaders Meetings in 2024 seeks to address in the areas of climate resilience and finance, oceans and environment, resources and economic development, technology and connectivity to the cutting themes of health and education in people centred development.

Forum member States and Observers, CROP Agencies and accredited organisations are welcome to apply to host side events. The Side Events Committee will ensure that all applications will be provided an opportunity to contribute to the PIFLM53,
provided that it abides with the Side Events guidelines.

Applicants are welcome to submit joint applications and collaborate where possible, with other applicants whose side events align with theirs in objective and vision in the following thematic Side Events:

To maximize this one-time platform for members, partners and all visiting international organizations to the region, the Government of Tonga invites applications to either one of the three selected thematic side Events:

(i) 2050 Strategy Side Events
(ii) Intergenerational Side Events
(iii) Global Partners Side Events

A completed Side Event Expression of Interest (EOI) Form (Annex I) is required for all participating states and organisations who wish to host an event at the margins of Forum Leaders Meetings, either in conjunction with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, as a Side Event or an Exhibitor, independently on a thematic area of relevance.

It is recommended that events are designed in line with the vision and thematic programme of 53rd PIFLM. Side events and exhibits are a platform for admitted observer organizations, and partners of the Forum, which have limited speaking opportunities in the formal meeting sessions, to engage with the Forum and other participants for knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, and exploring actionable options for meeting the Forum Leaders’ Agenda

Process
Interested Forum member states, observer and partner organizations, including the Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific (CROP) are invited to provide details on potential events using the EOI

Interested applicants or a representative of a group or communities planning to
conduct a Side Event, must be registered under Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
registration system in order to be accredited for the Side Events:
Link for Registration:
https://forumsec.eventsair.com/53-pacific-island-forum-leaders-meeting-2024/53piflm

NOTES FOR SIDE EVENTS

Application and Selection Process
a) Call for application: the Government of Tonga, through the Prime Minister’s Office, will provide the application form for Expression of Interest to conduct a Side Event, at the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meetings. This will be published on the website www.piflm53.to from 31 May 2024. This form must be completed for a request to be considered and you must be registered.
b) Deadline for application: all applications are to be submitted no later than 1 August 2024. No applications received after the deadline will be considered
c) Applications can be made either online on the website or via email to sideevent@piflm53.to Applicants can expect to receive a decision regarding their applications by 5 August 2024.
d) All events will be expected to commence no earlier than 0930 AM and end no later than 1730 PM each day. Special events can be considered, for earlier starts or evening events like receptions between 1800 to 2000 upon special and explicit request in the EOI application form.
e) Side Events will have a maximum duration of 1 hour and will normally take place in the morning hours and afternoon hours, including hosted events in breakfast or evening to ensure flexibility of participation
f) Side event organisers will be solely responsible for coordinating logistics, insurance and administrative arrangements for their respective side events, with the indicated suppliers. Please note that neither the Host Country nor the Forum Secretariat will be responsible or liable for assuming financial costs or responsibility for logistical arrangements and support for the side events beyond providing the venue and the list of suppliers and the inclusion and promotion of approved side events on the PIFLM53 Programme and website.
g) Side event organisers will be required to set up, clean up and remove all related materials from the allocated side event venue within the time frame allocated for the event. A 30-minute time gap between events will be included to allow for this.
h) Side event organisers will be required to notify the PIFLM Side Events Committee, at: sideevent@piflm53.to immediately, should they need to cancel their event.
i) Selection of side events: Efforts will be made to accommodate all requests within available facilities. However, should there be an excessive number of requests fulfilling all relevant eligibility criteria, priority will be given on a first come, first served basis;
j) Final confirmation of the programme of side events will be mutually
agreed to by the host Government and the Secretary General of the Pacific
Islands Forum, and will be published on www.piflm53.to

Registration
a) All formalities regarding registration, including issuance of badges to duly nominated participants to attend the sessions, are free of charge.
b) Accredited delegation to the PIFLM53 will use their badges to enter the Side Events venues;
c) International Organizations and Non-Forum Members can register using the Tonga App, to be issued a badge for the Side Events access – Guidelines for PIFLM53 Side Events (Government of Tonga) 3
d) All PIFLM53 participants traveling from outside the Kingdom of Tonga will to check visa requirements, regardless of their national passport, or email: airportfacilitation@piflm53.to for further assistance;

Accommodation
a) Registered participants are urged to book their accommodation for their time at PIFLM53 as soon as possible.
b) The Kingdom of Tonga will offer a wide selection of accommodation options to suit every budget.
c) Bookings for accommodations are managed by the Ministry of Tourism, and for any assistance, email: accommodation@piflm53.to

Catering
a) Side Events venue will be in the vicinity of the Main Forum Meeting Venue and the Forum Park which is in the central business district of the capital, with convenience shops and eateries, restaurants and cafes in the area –
b) The Forum Park which will be in the waterfront area of Nuku’alofa have a wide variety of food outlets, and in restricted zones of the Meeting areas, catering services and coffee stands will be provided, by request;

Greening of Side Events
   a) The Kingdom of Tonga is committed to blue and green environment values. As such, Side Events participants’ cooperation in helping to reduce the waste impact upon the Kingdom’s hosting of PIFLM53.
   b) In alignment with this, the PIFLM53 will be ‘Paperless and Plastic Free to promote a healthy Blue and Green Kingdom and align with the region’s Blue Pacific values

Meeting Rooms Requirements
a) All conference rooms/open spaces designated for side events will be equipped with the following:
   ● Projector and One laptop for presentation and wireless clicker
   ● Head table with 6 seats with tabletop microphones
   ● Standard tabletop microphones for participants
   ● One set of generic table name plates
   ● One table with two chairs outside rooms for registration and/or distribution of printed materials
b) Organizers can request for additional equipment if needed, for an additional cost as per the application form
    i. There will be technical staff at the beginning of the event to introduce organizers to the technical equipment. Organizers will be   expected to run the events independently
    ii. Presentations and videos should be sent well in advance of the side event, in order for on-site technical staff to assist;
   iii. Organizers are kindly requested to adhere to the time allocated for their events and to ensure that the conference room is handed over to the organizers of the following side events in proper condition
   iv. Food and drinks are prohibited inside the conference rooms

Access for external visitors
   a) In order to gain access to the sites for the Side Events will be hosted, pre-registration is necessary on the Tonga App – to obtain day pass for the day of the site event
   b) This is suitable to the Intergenerational Side Events –
   c) For exclusive side events in the Meeting Venue(s), pre-registration is necessary to obtain access to the conference rooms
   d) For any further information on the Tonga App, email: app@piflm53.to

Key Speakers and Programme
   a) In order to upload the Side Events Programme and List of Key Speakers to promote a Side Event, applicants should include with the EOI a short flyer proposal, agenda, list of speakers and profile of the speakers before the 25 July 2024, for the information to be published on www.piflm53.to
   b) If your Side Events have already posted information online at a third party, please provide link to promote your Side Event, if required

Side Events Dates
   a) Side Events are tentatively scheduled to be held from Tuesday 27 August to – Thursday, 29 May 2024;
   b) Venues for the three thematic Side Events to be confirmed a month to the Meetings;

Thematic Side Events
   a) 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent
Side Events on this Thematic area will echo the progress and ambitions for the first year of implementation of the region’s 2050 Strategy Plan, endorsed by Leaders during the PIFLM52 in the Cook Islands in November 2023. For more information about the 2050 Strategy: https://forumsec.org/2050
   b) Intergenerational Side Event
Side Events that are intent to engage, transfer knowledge, showcase initiatives, youth, NGOs, academia to share cutting-edge yet efficient solutions and ideas to the regional policymakers and stakeholders as part of the Forum experience –
   c) Global Partners Side Event
Interactive platforms for international partners and stakeholders with the Forum


Contact Information:
Side Events: sideevent@piflm53.to
General Enquiries about PIFLM53: jcc_secretariat@pmo.gov.to
Prime Minister’s Office, Government of Tonga

Side Events Registration Form Download here 

(Please send a proposal with event structure and agenda with this EOI Form to: sideevent@piflm53.to)