Fijian communities and friends of Fiji in Europe came together this week in an overwhelming show of support for Fiji’s flood victims at the Woluwe Cultural Centre in Brussels, Belgium.

The cultural concert fundraiser was opened by the Head of the Pacific Division in the European External Action Service (EEAS), Mr. Ranieri Sabatucci and marked the culmination of six weeks of preparation for this event.

Supporters to this cause included the diplomatic community and friends of Fiji in Brussels and the Fiji diaspora in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Wales and Belgium.

At the end of the event, the Fiji Embassy in Brussels, collected on behalf of the Fiji communities in Europe a total sum of close to €14,000.00. There were also donations in kind towards the PM’s Flood Relief Fund with, inter alia, the Fiji community in Gütersloh, Germany donating around 100 cartons of personal effects for the flood victims in Fiji.

The Office of the Ambassador to the European Union hosted a social gathering to acknowledge this generous donation on Friday, 18 May which was also attended by Fiji’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

H.E. Ambassador Vocea briefed the Minister on the fundraising and the activities that were organised on the day. Mr. Kubuabola thanked Ambassador Vocea for the efforts made to bring the Fijian communities in Europe together.

The Minister also conveyed the Fijian Government’s appreciation and gratitude to all the British Army soldiers and families and friends of Fiji, for the benevolent assistance towards those affected by the floods.

Next week, Minister Kubuabola will head Fiji’s delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly which will be held in Horsens, Denmark on 23 - 30 May. He will be accompanied by H.E. Ambassador Mr. Peceli Vocea and the Special Assistant to the Minister, Mr. Akuila Vuira.