CF Source: Foundation

Samoans aged 15 to 18 were invited to enter photographs on the themes of climate action and resilience, contributing their perspectives as Commonwealth Heads of Government gathered in Samoa.

Their images capture diverse subjects: from serene ocean shores and lush forests to local food systems and renewable energy initiatives. Each photograph tells a compelling story, reflecting the photographers’ deep concern for their environment. One image, featuring a young boy picking up litter, emphasizes the impact of small actions in sparking global change. Several photographs depict Samoa’s breathtaking landscapes, set against the backdrop of encroaching development, echoing the anxiety of losing their cherished natural heritage. There is a profound sense of stewardship in every frame—a call to respect and protect the environment, as one entrant puts it, “as we do our elders.”

This exhibition is both a testament and a rallying cry—a vivid reminder for decision-makers that the time for action is now, even as it conveys a message of hope through images of green solutions, the blue economy, and community-led restoration initiatives.

The photos were displayed at the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Apia, Samoa in October 2024. During the Forum, winning photos were announced for four categories:

• Age 15-16
• Age 17-18
• The Pacific Way: representing Pacific values, culture, and tradition
• The People’s Choice: voted by delegates and attendees at the People’s Forum

Browse below to see the winning and shortlisted photographs.

‘A Lens on the Climate Crisis in Africa’ is a digital photography exhibition depicting the devastating impact of climate change on African communities. It features photographs submitted by 24 photographers in 12 African Commonwealth countries, selected after an open call.

This exhibition is an important reminder that climate change is not a future problem. Rather, it is an immediate and severe challenge facing communities on the frontline of a global crisis. The destructive effects of extreme weather have left children unable to attend school, crop yields diminished and homes destroyed. The voices of these communities must be heard by decision-makers.

A video of the exhibition was first shown at the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, in June 2022, with an introduction by Kenyan environmentalist and climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti. The exhibition has been published online to mark Africa Climate Week 2022 and raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on the continent.

Watch the video to view the full exhibition.

Thank you for confirming your attendance at the 2022 Commonwealth People’s Forum, which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 21-22 June. We look forward to your active participation and contribution to one of the Commonwealth’s largest gatherings of civil society.

This information pack has been created in order to keep you informed of the 2022 People’s Forum arrangements relevant to you. It will be updated as new information becomes available, so please do check back via the same link as the event approaches.

Read the information pack.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact:

Gursimran Hans, People’s Forum Administrator
Email cpf@commonwealthfoundation.com

Gursimran is available on WhatsApp

We look forward to seeing you in Rwanda!

Thank you for confirming your attendance at the 2022 Commonwealth People’s Forum, which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 21-22 June. We look forward to your active participation and contribution to one of the Commonwealth’s largest gatherings of civil society.

This information pack has been created in order to keep you informed of the 2022 People’s Forum arrangements relevant to you. It will be updated as new information becomes available, so please do check back via the same link as the event approaches.

Read the information pack: Commonwealth People’s Forum 2022 Information Pack (Aide Memoire) for Sponsored Delegates.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact:

Gursimran Hans, People’s Forum Administrator
Email cpf@commonwealthfoundation.com

Gursimran is available on WhatsApp

We look forward to seeing you in Rwanda!

An online discussion forum for civil society

This forum is the only online discussion group for civil society in the Commonwealth focusing on our shared values, challenges and opportunities.

It’s where people in the Commonwealth can freely exchange ideas, and is open to advocates, policy influencers, academics, creative practitioners, writers, entrepreneurs and grassroots activists.

We welcome people from across 56 Commonwealth countries to engage, share, listen and learn from each other, and identify common solutions.

We are particularly keen to link members of the group who hail from one of the Commonwealth’s small states.

As part of this community, you’ll have the chance to:

• Connect and collaborate with leaders and thinkers across the Commonwealth
• Exchange ideas with people and organisations working on critical development issues, around environment and climate justice, health justice, and freedom of expression
• Strategise on how to advocate on key issues
• Learn about opportunities to participate in our events, advocacy and grant funding streams

How does it work?

This online discussion group takes place through email. When you sign up, you will be added to an email community where you can send ideas and engage with people working on critical development issues across the Commonwealth. You can browse past conversations from the discussion group on the Google Groups platform.

How to sign up

1. Read the Community Guidelines to make sure you understand how our digital discussion group works
2. Submit an expression of interest using the online form below.
3. Your form will be reviewed by the administration team (please allow 10 working days for review)
4. We will be looking to make sure you’re working on values connected to the Commonwealth Charter, and around our key thematic areas: environment and climate change, health and freedom of expression
5. You will be notified via email once you have been added to the discussion group with instructions on how to email others in the group

Please note before proceeding: The discussion platform is hosted via Google Groups. You can use a Gmail address or an alternative work/personal email address, but your chosen email address must be linked to a Google Account.

The Commonwealth Foundation, together with the Government of Rwanda, is organising the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Kigali, Rwanda from 21-22 June.

This is an exciting opportunity for a collective and interactive exchange of ideas about the issues that matter most to the 2.4 billion citizens of the Commonwealth.

The theme of the People’s Forum 2022 is Our Health, Our Planet, Our Future. Under that broad umbrella, we will be discussing issues relating to climate justice, health justice and accountable, people-centred governance.

Delegates wishing to attend the People’s Forum should take note of the following information:

Information for delegates

Includes information on confirming your attendance, visas, accommodation, Forum communications and Covid-19 protocols.

Read more.

Support for affiliate representatives

The Foundation has limited funding to help support the participation of the Commonwealth’s Accredited Organisations at the People’s Forum. Via a nomination process, the Foundation will support some expenses related to participation for up to a limited number of people from Accredited Organisations who will attend the Forum.

Learn more about funding available and the nomination process.

Contact

Please email any enquiries to cpf@commonwealthfoundation.com.

The deadline for submitting a proposal to host a side event at the People’s Forum has closed. We will inform the selected organisations in the coming weeks.

The Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF) is held every two years alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). It is the single largest opportunity for civil society—the people of the Commonwealth—to engage with Commonwealth leaders on the most pressing issues of our times.

Based on the CHOGM 2024 theme of ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’, the People’s Forum will offer a platform for a wide range of civil society leaders, experts, activists and creative practitioners to inspire transformative action. It will address three focus areas: climate justice, health justice and freedom of expression, bringing to the fore the interests and experiences of women, young people and small and vulnerable states.

The final programme for the People’s Forum is expected to reflect insights gained through a year-long preparatory process including the People’s Voice event held in November 2023; a series of regional consultations held between February and July 2024; a dedicated event at the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States in May 2024, and the thousands of responses we received to our Path to Samoa online consultation with civil society.

We are inviting CPF 2024 delegates to design and run sessions as part of our wider programme. Delegate-led sessions will be held outside the formal programme with breakfast, lunchtime, and later afternoon slots available across both days. Sessions should relate to one or more of the CPF areas of focus, be grounded in the work of the delegate’s organisation and be highly engaging (visual materials, audience participation via Q&A, etc.).  Organisers are encouraged to include a diverse range of perspectives. The involvement of Commonwealth Accredited Organisations is highly encouraged, as are partnerships with and between organisations.

The Foundation is currently finalising the details of venues to be made available for delegate-led sessions. We expect that available venues will seat between 20-40 people and be able to be set up in different formats.

If your organisation or group of organisations would like to run a delegate-led session, please submit an expression of interest via our online form of no more than 250 words outlining the objective, content and approach of your proposed session and addressing the specifications set out above.

Please enter your submission by midday Friday, 5 July in your time zone.

Any queries regarding the submission process should be sent to events@commonwealthfoundation.com with the following subject line: ATTENTION: CPF 2024 delegate-led session.

 If your submission is selected, we will let you know by Monday 15 July and provide further guidance on preparing for your session. 

 The Commonwealth Foundation looks forward to supporting our partner organisations that are running delegate-led sessions, including through advertising your event, and overseeing logistics. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide any financial assistance to delegates.

Key dates:

• Launch call for proposals: Wednesday 12 June
• Close call for proposals: Friday 5 July
• Results communicated: Monday 15 July
• Commonwealth People’s Forum: Monday 21 October – Tuesday 22 October