Every village in the Pacific has a meeting place. In different locations across the Pacific, this place is a Maneba (Kiribati), a Fale (Polynesia), a Bure (Fiji). In Palau, the Forum chair during COP31, it is a Bai. For Pacific communities, these traditional meeting places are not just physical structures, but they are repositories of Pacific culture, with every symbol, every motif, every beam, every mat, every weaving, every pillar carrying a particular and potent cultural significance. As the Pacific looks towards partnering with Australia for COP31, what do the Australian and Pacific governments need to do to ensure that the foundations of the COP31 ‘Bai’ embody and stand for Pacific priorities? This event features Pacific government officials and civil society leaders, and provides a platform to define and promote the Pillars of a Pacific COP31Partnership, ensuring the region’s priorities are not just visible, but foundational to the summit’s success.