Chamorro Conference Next Week!

Hafa adai todus,

Please join us for I Mina' Kuattro na Konferensian Chamorro. *PLEASE PASS THE WORD...*

There's a group of people who worked hard to organize and coordinate I Mina'Kuattro Na Konferensian Chamorro. This project has no budget but a lot of committed and passionate people desiring to bring everyone together to develop a vision and action plans for the advancement of Chamorros.


It is our hope that we can *come celebrate our collective progress and find common ground, as we work to address current and future challenges as a community and chart our course .
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*Our Mission:
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*To advance and promote the sustainable cultural, economic, and community development of Chamorros based in our indigenous cultural values; to educate our people; and to promote research and capacity building of community-based organizations that will contribute to the well-being of the Mariana Islands and its people.
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*Our Vision:
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*To engage and sustain a self-determined Chamorro community that is grounded in cultural knowledge and values and is directed towards the advancement and well-being of our people and the future of the Mariana Islands.
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*Our Working Philosophy*:

*That we come together to share and unite our people and lands as one entity while respecting our differences; that we find ways to resolve conflicts, heal our minds, bodies, and spirits in order to preserve, protect and promote the people of the Marianas, the Chamorros."
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It is our hope to get the word around and invite you all to this important Konferensia. We ask for your support. If you are unable to make it, we appreciate your support in prayers and donations to provide scholarships to some of our participants from the CNMI and Guahan. We greatly appreciate
your help.



*I Mina` Kuattro Na Konferensian Chamorro
4th Annual Chamorro Conference
Hotel Nikko Guam
October 12-14, 2010
**Tungo` i Hinanao-ta yan Fanachu nu i Lina`lå`ta!
**Please Join us!
* * **When?
*Tuesday, October 12, 2010 8:00 am-Thursday, October 14, 2010 2:00 pm
*Where? *Hotel Nikko Guam
*Registration Fee:
*$60.00 for FullTime Students, Teachers and Senior Citizens
$100.00 for Others
Professional Development Fee: 2 Credits from UOG: Additional $60.00
*For **more information call 637-6906/
*http://konfrensia.blogspot.com
*email: **4konferensia@gmail.com
REGISTER TODAY!

Famoksaiyan Micronesia

FAMOKSAIYAN MICRONESIA
Kahulu I Taotao Tasi
A PARTNERSHIP FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PACIFIC STUDIES
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2010 CONFERENCE


ANNOUNCEMENT
4th Annual Chamoru & Micronesian Research Conference
University of Washington, Seattle
April 14-17, 2010

THEME: “Health, Environment, and Human Rights in Micronesia”


“FAMOKSAIYAN” can be understood as the time to paddle forward or to nurture.

In April 2006, a group of Chamorro & Micronesian scholars, organizers and workers held the first annual Famoksaiyan conference at the Sons and Daughters of Guam in San Diego, California. The conference focused on the issues of self determination, education and militarism in the Marianas. In April 2007, a follow up conference was held in Oakland and at the University of California Berkeley. The 3rd conference returned to San Diego in 2008. In November 2009, a youth focused version of Famoksaiyan was held in Seattle, Washington.

We are pleased to announce that the April 14-17 conference will be held at the University of Washington and Seattle University. We welcome participants to attend workshops on Micronesian knowledge, health, education, employment, housing and any other related issue. Presenters have the option of writing and presenting papers in Micronesian languages or English. Presentations in a Micronesian language will also have a short summary available in English.

We invite partners with an interest in Pacific communities to attend a conference in Seattle in April 2010. The conference focuses on the construction and maintenance of identities in the Pacific region from political, economic, and socio-cultural perspectives. How has the emergence of such Pacific worlds in motion affected the construction, maintenance, and imagination of identities in the Pacific region? This four day conference will include performing arts celebrations and educational workshops. Our hope is to begin and continue a discussion on these Pacific issues from a variety of perspectives as we seek to understand more fully our present experience of Pacific Islanders in the US.

Some of the major issues that will be examined within the context of a Pacific world include:

Racial identities
Women's Health
Community Organizing
Visual and performing arts
Communications & Media
Native self-determination
Labor Struggles

Advisory Committee:
Michael Tun`cap, Doctoral Candidate, University of California Berkeley
Natalie Santos, UW Micronesian Islands Club President
Jaynina Smith-Prince, Graduate Student Researcher, UW School of Social Work
Ray Duenas, Micronesian 2010 Chair & Chair of the HITA Language Project
Brian San Nicolas, Tacoma Community College, Nasion Chamoru Committee
Chasmon Tarimel, UW Pacific Islander Studies undergraduate & PIPE member
Benjamin Lealofi, Director of the Pacific Islander Commission
Deborah Tugaga, Director of the PIONEER Pre-College Program
Nestor Enguerra, Polynesian Student Alliance President & McNair Scholar

Sponsored by the University of Washington ASUW PISC, PIONEER & Micronesian
Islands Club, the University of California Berkeley Pacific Islands
Studies Group, Mariana’s Taotao Tano Club at Seattle University and the
2010 Guam Delegation to the United Nations

April 14, 2010 PASIFIK VOICES Performing Arts Celebration 7:00-10:00pm
University of Washington Ethnic Cultural Theater

April 15, 2010 Pacific Islanders and the Non-Profit Movement 6:00-8:00pm
Evening Event-NAPA, YMCA, & WORLD VISION
UW Ethnic Cultural Center Black Room

April 16, 2010 Brown Bag lunch screening The Marines Are Landing 12-1:30

April 17, 2010 Traditional Knowledge and Culture 10:00-11:00am

Gender, Identity and Social Change 11:00-12:00pm

Breaking Bread & Building Community 12:00-12:30pm

Race, Health and Education 1:00-2:00pm

Micronesians and the Media 2:00-3:00pm

GBLT struggles in the Diaspora 3:00-4:00pm

*Annual Marianas Fiesta & UW Micronesia 5:00-9:00pm
Marianas Taotao Tano Club & MIC
*Campion Ballroom, Seattle University

Women Against Militarism Statement

Below is the conference statement from the the conference "CHinemma', Nina'maolek, yan Inarespetu para Direchon Taotao" which translates to “Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights” and was the 7th International Meeting of the Network of Women Against Militarism, that took place on Guam on September 14-19, 2009.

The conference was a truly historic event for Guam and for the region, and hopefully, given the militarized future that lies ahead for Guam, it will not be the last of its kind here.

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With the theme “Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights” [CHinemma', Nina'maolek, yan Inarespetu para Direchon Taotao], the International Women’s Network Against Militarism concluded its 7th International Women’s Conference held in Guam on September 14-19, 2009. Participants from Australia, Belau, Chuuk, Guahan, Hawai’i, Japan, Okinawa, Northern Marianas Islands, Palau, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Korea and mainland United States, took notice of the increasing militarization in their countries and its impact on the socio-cultural, political, economic and environmental aspects particularly on women and their communities. Country reports as well as panel presentations showed the pattern of militarization in said countries, as well as in other parts of the world. Some reports also emphasized the relationship between militarism and colonialism and called attention to the negative effects of such relationship.

The US military’s ‘global defense posture” means more military intervention by seeking more access to more territories through “visiting” agreements, basing agreements, expansion of bases and waging both conventional and unconventional wars, thus undermining the sovereignty of peoples, denying them of their right to self-determination and of their patrimony.

Amidst global financial and economic crises that has shaken the whole world and the global superpowers led by the US and aided by its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia and Japan, military build ups in the region continue. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have claimed thousands of lives especially from the civilian populations, are continuing. Apart from creating a culture of violence that especially affect women, youth and the elderly, environmental impacts have been noted by the participants, contributing significantly to the destruction of indigenous societies and global climate change. War exercises and trainings continue, in the name of the “anti-terrorism” campaigns in many parts of the world, particularly with former colonies in the Asia-Pacific region. We are aware that the legitimate actions against terrorist acts against the civilian populations are necessary, but must not be used as a pretext to justify military interventions that in the end terrorize civilian populations and create a culture of violence.

The US government in its realignment plan is expanding military power in Asia-Pacific, including the relocation plan of 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guahan that would go with building a new military facility in Okinawa. The meeting denounced this military expansion package plan in either place, and is firm in standing in solidarity with the Guahan people. The meeting forwards the following demands:

We ask women of “host” countries to push their governments to send foreign troops back to the US.

We urge the American people especially women to urge the US government for policies that respect the sovereignty of other countries and denounce the continuing wars of aggression and for demilitarization; instead the US government and its superpower allies to rechanneling a big portion of their military budgets towards health programs for its peoples especially women and children, for livelihood programs and secured jobs, and for the general welfare of their citizens.

Stop the expansion of bases in Guahan and other parts of the world!

End all military agreements that support US military hegemony!

Demand US responsibility to clean up the toxic wastes they left behind in the Philippines and Puerto Rico.

Pull out US troops from the Philippines and other countries!

Recent Videos, Recent Events

Schedule of Events for Women's Conference

7th MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN AGAINST MILITARISM

CHinemma’, Nina’maolek, yan Inarespetu para Direchon Taotao
RESISTANCE, RESILIENCE, AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Location: University of Guam (Mangilao) & Carmel on the Hill Retreat Center (Malojloj), Guåhan
Dates: September 14-19, 2009
Sponsoring Organizations:Conscious Living; Famoksaiyan; Fuetsan Famalao’an; Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice; Guåhan Indigenous Collective; GUAHAN Project; Global Fund for Women; GFT Local Union; Office of Minority Health Resource Center; Sage Project, Incorporated; Women and Gender Studies Program, University of Guam

CONFERENCE AGENDA

September 14 (Monday) Pre-Conference Session
*Registration Required*
Location : Conference Room, Catholic Social Services

8:30am – 4:30pm
“Human Trafficking 101: Identifying Victims, Examining Policy Frameworks, and Building a Transnational Movement”
This workshop will present a general discussion of human trafficking, explore diasporic trends from Asia to other parts of the world, examine policy frameworks to effectively combat human trafficking, and identify steps towards building a transnational movement in the Asia-Pacific region.
Facilitated by: SAGE, Inc. [San Francisco, California]
Facilitators: Annie Fukushima [California], Aida Santos-Maranan [Philippines], and a Representative from South Korea

September 15 (Tuesday) Public Forum - Free Event
*No registration required*
Location : University of Guam

6:30pm – 8:30pm
“International Strategies of Resistance Promoting Human Rights”
Moderator: Jamela Santos
Presenters:
Suzuyo Takazato [Okinawa]
Representative [South Korea]
Carmen Valencia [Vieques, Puerto Rico]
Terry Keko’olani : DMZ Hawai'i / Aloha 'Aina [Hawai'i]
Ana Maria Nemenzo [Philippines]

SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 (Thursday) COMMUNITY CONFERENCE
*Registration Required Unless Stated Otherwise*
Location: Leon Guerrero Building Lecture Hall, University of Guam

8:30am – 8:40am
Welcoming Remarks: Dr. LisaLinda Natividad : Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice

8:40am – 9:15am
“Rethinking Peace and Security: Genuine Security
as Rooted in the United Nation’s Concept of Human Security”
Speaker: Dr. Gwyn Kirk : Women for Genuine Security [San Francisco, California]

9:15am – 11:45pm
Panel Presentation:
“Beyond the Military Economy: Exploring Alternatives for Sustainability”
Moderator: Sabina Perez
Presenters:
Alma Bulawan [Buklod, Philippines]
Dr. Hannah Middleton : Australian Anti-Bases Campaign [Sydney, Australia]
Dr. Miyumi Tanji : Curtin University of Technology [Perth, Australia]
Isabella Sumang [Republic of Belau]

11:45am – 12:45pm
LUNCH

12:45pm – 2:45pm
Panel Presentation:
“Environmental Contamination and Toxicity:
Reclaiming Our Physical Environments Through Clean-Up, Health and Healing Practices”
Moderator: Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero
Presenters:
You Kyoung Ko [South Korea]
Abacca Anjain-Maddison [Republic of the Marshall Islands]
Maria Reinat [Puerto Rico]
Dolly Yanan : Metro Subic Network [Philippines]

2:45pm – 3:00pm
BREAK

3:00pm – 4:30pm
Panel Presentation:
“Comparative Strategies to Promote Security for Women and Children”
Moderator: Nicole Santos
Presenters:
Suzuyo Takazato [Okinawa]
Representative : Fuetsan Famalao'an [Guåhan]
Corazon Lotlot Requirzo : Kaisa Ka [Philippines]

5:00pm Peace Walk (Free Event)
Location: Chief Kepuha Park, Hagåtña
Facilitator: Lisa Baza : Conscious Living [Guåhan]

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 (Friday) COMMUNITY CONFERENCE
*Registration Required Unless Stated Otherwise *
Location: Carmel on the Hill Retreat Center, Malojloj
Focus: “Where do we go from here?”

8:00am – 8:30am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
Country Representatives’ breakfast meeting

8:30am – 9:00am
Welcoming Remarks and Review of day’s tasks

9:00am – 11:00am Panel Presentation (Free Event)
Location: Carmel on the Hill Retreat Center
“Human Trafficking and Prostitution: Towards a Woman-Centered Policy Framework”
Moderator: Dr. Vivian Dames
Presenters:
Annie Fukushima : University of California at Berkeley [United States]
Bok Nim Yu : Director, Dasi Hamkke Center [South Korea]
Aida Santos : WeDpro, Inc. [Philippines]
Lauri Ogumoro, Karidat Esperanza House [Commonwealth of the North Mariana Islands]
Sue Gilbey [Adelaide, Australia]

11:00am – 12:00pm
Regional/Country working group meetings to develop specific short-term and long-term goals

12:00pm – 1:30pm
LUNCH

1:30pm – 4:30pm
Connecting Regional/Country working group short-term and long-term goals; Setting national and international initiatives. Discussion of future actions.

4:30pm – 5:00pm
Conference Wrap Up & announcement of Art Celebration

6:30pm – 10:00pm Art Celebration (Free Event)
“Fuetsan I Lina’la’ : Famalao’an I Tano’ // Strength of Life : Women of the Land”
Women’s Exhibit, Music and Poetry, Sale of international women-made goods, film screening of Along the Fenceline: Women’s Voices on Peace and Security, Demilitarizing Fashion Show

7th Meeting of the International Network of Women Against Militarization

7TH MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN AGAINST MILITARISM

Resistance, Resilience, and Respect for Human Rights
CHinemma’, Nina’maolek, yan Inarespetu para Direchon Taotao

Location: University of Guam, Mangilao, Guåhan
Dates: September 14-19, 2009

Women across the globe have endured tremendous struggles to protect their families and survive during times of war and unrest. It is from these struggles that women have gained the strength to fight for peace. This September, they will gather on the island of Guam for the 7th Meeting of the International Network of Women Against Militarism themed, “Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights”.

The five-day conference will bring together women from Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, Hawaii, Philippines, Australia, Republic of Belau, Marshall Islands, Guam, United States, Puerto Rico and Saipan – all of whom have felt the tremendous impacts of US military bases in their homelands.

The International Network of Women Against Militarism has been meeting since 1997 to share information and strategize about the negative effects of US military operations. These effects include military violence against women and girls, the plight of mixed-race Amerasian children abandoned by US military fathers, environmental contamination, cultural degradation and the distortion of local economies. They focus on how military institutions, values, policies and operations impact communities, especially women.

The United States has had a strong military presence on Guam for more than a century, and occupies nearly one-third of the island. Guam, which has been dubbed “the tip of the spear” by the US Department of Defense, is in the midst of an unprecedented military build-up as the US plans to move 17,000 Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to the island. The conference comes at a critical time in Guam’s history, and aims to bring international attention to the concerns being raised about the proposed build-up.

The conference will feature workshops and public forums on human trafficking and prostitution; political arrangements with the United States; rethinking peace and security; exploring alternatives for economic sustainability; environmental contamination and toxicity; and much more.

There will also be a historical tour of the island; a community vigil to honor the past and heal for the future; a public art event featuring local and international artists; and many opportunities to network and establish goals for the future.

For more information please contact: Dr. LisaLinda Natividad at lisanati@yahoo.com or (671) 735-2962.

Sponsoring Organizations: Conscious Living; Famoksaiyan; Fuetsan Famalao’an; Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice; Guåhan Indigenous Collective; GUAHAN Project; Global Fund for Women; Office of Minority Health Resource Center; Sage Project, Incorporated; Women and Gender Studies Program, University of Guam.