There were many practical production challenges. Tuvalu wasn’t accepting visitors back when the project began (due to Covid), so the entire production was done remotely. Two teams, over 4,000 km apart, worked in parallel.
In Sydney, we painstakingly built the first piece of the digital nation—a replica of Te Afualiku islet based on photography and drone footage captured by the team on Tuvalu, who had to sail with their equipment to the location.
For the COP27 film, the production was directed remotely through WhatsApp due to patchy Wi-Fi. And with a limited window of time where the lighting was right, the team in Tuvalu captured the minister’s three-minute address in a single take.
What would you say the campaign achieves?
This work is primarily about saving the sovereignty of a nation. It is part of a continuing project to catalog, map, record and save as much of Tuvaluan island life as possible—including historical documents, records of cultural practices, family albums and traditional song. A place where the Tuvaluan government can hold elections and house essential government services. A place to record ongoing history and culture. More than anything, ‘The First Digital Nation’ will serve as a place where 12,000 displaced Tuvaluans can stay connected as a country.
How have you reacted to the industry’s response? What about the campaign objectives?
The most important outcome is having Tuvalu’s sovereignty recognized by other nations. Since ‘The First Digital Nation’ was announced, 10 nations have agreed to legally recognize the permanency of Tuvalu’s sovereignty regardless of what happens to its physical land, redefining what it means to be a country. This is crucial to the future of Tuvalu and its people.
And days after the announcement made by Minister Kofe at the U.N. climate change conference, a fund for historic loss and damage was established.
Minister Kofe has talked repeatedly about the need to reach citizens of the world, forcing them to think, ‘What if this were happening to my country?’ It is often the citizens putting pressure on their own governments that forces the most action.
To have the work reach such a broad audience—2.1 billion people—was key to amplifying Tuvalu’s voice and centering Pacific perspectives in global climate conversations.
Having the opportunity to play a part in such important and meaningful work is very gratifying for everyone involved. It is very much a co-creation and we will be led by the Tuvaluan government and their people for the next stage of work.
Other winners in the Innovation category:
Follow Their Leader — The Non-Violence Project Foundation
