Fiji’s 2026 Poppy Appeal has been launched at Sukuna Park in Suva, with Minister for Defence and Veterans Affairs Pio Tikoduadua joining veterans and their representatives for the start of the annual collection. A red poppy costs one dollar, and money raised goes to the welfare of Fiji’s ex-servicemen and women and their families, according to FBC News.
Key facts
- A red poppy costs one dollar, FBC News reported, and remains a symbol of remembrance and honour for those who served.
- Donations are being collected by the Fiji Returned Services Association, according to FBC News.
- Proceeds support the welfare of ex-servicemen and women and their families, FBC News reported.
- Collections run ahead of Remembrance Day on 11 November, according to the Fiji Sun.
- Tikoduadua said the red poppy remained a powerful symbol of sacrifice, representing lives given in service, families changed by loss and the nation’s gratitude to those who answered the call of duty, the Fiji Sun reported.
When the launch took place
The two local reports do not agree on the day. FBC News, in a report published on 1 October 2026, said the appeal was launched “today”. The Fiji Sun’s account of the same Sukuna Park launch carries a 30 September 2026 date. FBC is the only outlet that states a day explicitly, so 1 October is the date used here; the Fiji Sun’s earlier timestamp is as likely to reflect when its report was filed or first posted as a different event date. Neither report cites a notice from the organisers that would settle the point, and the gap does not change the substance: the collection is under way in Suva and continues until Remembrance Day on 11 November.
Who is collecting the money
FBC News named the Fiji Returned Services Association as the body taking donations. The Fiji Sun quoted Aisea Molia as President of the Ex-Servicemen Association. On the available reporting it is unclear whether those are two names for one organisation, an affiliate arrangement, or two separate groups: neither report sets out the link, and neither gives registration or contact details that would resolve it. Donors who want certainty about where their dollar goes can ask collectors which body they represent and whether they are issuing receipts.
What veterans said
Retired veteran Sevanaia Suguturaga, who served in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces for more than 30 years, told FBC News the appeal showed veterans were still valued after discharge. “Leaving the force does not mean we are forgotten,” he said, adding that funds raised directly support families who have lost loved ones.
Retired Staff Sergeant George Wright told the Fiji Sun the appeal mattered because the funds helped veterans with needs including medical care. Wright, 68, joined the military in September 1978 as a Territorial Force soldier and served in Lebanon in 1979, where he said soldiers were often woken at night, ordered into uniform and rushed to their positions. “It was a very tough time in those early years of 1979 in Lebanon,” he told the paper. He also recalled a fellow recruit who was shot and killed less than a week after arriving. Veterans’ reliance on donations for treatment comes amid wider pressure on Fiji’s health services, as reported separately by Fiji News.
Molia said the poppy had become an international symbol of remembrance after World War I, the Fiji Sun reported. Neither source explains how the symbol was adopted in Fiji.
Where Fijian troops have served
Tikoduadua said Fijian troops had served in challenging environments including Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, the Solomon Islands and Bougainville, according to the Fiji Sun. He said Fiji’s contribution to international peacekeeping showed that, despite being a small island nation, its commitment to peace and service had no boundaries. He also urged young Fijians to remember that the peace and security they enjoyed today had been built on the courage, duty and sacrifice of those who served before them.
What is still unknown
Neither report says how the money is administered, who is eligible, or what share goes to medical assistance rather than other welfare. Both describe the appeal as a public collection rather than a budget allocation, and neither says whether veterans’ welfare also draws government funding. Neither names the towns or sites where poppies will be sold beyond the Suva launch, sets a target, or says when the organisers will report the total raised. No figures were given for how many veterans receive assistance or how much past appeals brought in.
More from Fiji News
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Fiji’s 2026 Poppy Appeal launched?
FBC News, in a report published on 1 October 2026, said the appeal had been launched "today" at Sukuna Park in Suva. The Fiji Sun’s account of the same launch carries a 30 September 2026 date. FBC is the only outlet that states a day explicitly, so 1 October is the date used here, with the Fiji Sun’s earlier timestamp noted.
Who collects the money raised by the Poppy Appeal?
FBC News named the Fiji Returned Services Association as the body collecting donations. The Fiji Sun quoted Aisea Molia as President of the Ex-Servicemen Association. Neither report explains the relationship between the two names, so on available reporting it is unclear whether they are the same organisation.
How much does a poppy cost in Fiji?
A red poppy costs one dollar, FBC News reported. The sources do not give a fundraising target or say how much previous appeals raised.
Is the Poppy Appeal funded by the Fijian government?
Neither FBC News nor the Fiji Sun describes the appeal as a government allocation. Both describe it as money raised from the public through poppy sales. Neither report says whether veterans’ welfare also receives a separate budget allocation, or how the donations are administered.
Who is George Wright and when did he serve?
The Fiji Sun reported that retired Staff Sergeant George Wright, 68, joined the military in September 1978 as a Territorial Force soldier and later served in Lebanon in 1979. He told the paper he recalled the death of a fellow recruit who was shot and killed less than a week after arriving in Lebanon.
Do the funds help families of service personnel who have died?
Yes. Retired veteran Sevanaia Suguturaga told FBC News that funds raised through the appeal directly support families who have lost loved ones, while also honouring the legacy of Fiji’s veterans.
