A proposal to establish a Pacific Youth Council (PYC) was approved by the 4th Pacific Youth Conference held in 1994. Preparations toward that goal thereafter proceeded with the cooperation of the Asia Youth Council (AYC), and in 1995 a provisional PYC secretariat was set up. Thanks to these efforts, the inaugural general assembly of the PYC, originally scheduled for the third year of this project (1997), was held from 8 to 12 July 1996 at the headquarters of the South Pacific Commission (SPC) in New Caledonia. At the meeting, which included representatives of youth associations from SPC-member countries and of relevant government bodies, details of the PYC's charter, regulations, program and executive committee functions were finalized, the establishment of PYC was formally approved, and the members of its executive committee were elected. The PYC's establishment was given considerable media coverage not only locally but internationally as well, with Radio Australia conducting a telephone interview about the event. Furthermore, executives of the PYC and the AYC were given opportunities to strengthen their mutual ties at youth-related meetings held in Vienna and Beijing, respectively, under ESCAP and UN programs.