Remembering War and Promoting Peace

Community Collaborates to Remember World War II and Promote Peace
War Survivor Exhibit to Open Nov. 29

November 23, 2010
For Immediate Release

Hagåtña, Guam – When Guam was invaded by Japan on December 8, 1941, hundreds of island residents were attending church services at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral in honor of their patron saint Santa Marian Kamalen. They were praying as the war began. To remember that history, the Guam War Survivor Memorial Foundation and the Archdiocese of Agana, in collaboration with several community groups, are hosting a photo exhibit at the Cathedral-Basilica Museum entitled, “Take My Hand: Remembering How the War Began, Promoting Peace in Our Land.”

The exhibit will feature photo collections provided by the Notan Museo, National Museum of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica; the Guam Humanities Council; the National Park Service; the Department of Parks & Recreation; the Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC) and the Office of Senator Frank F. Blas, Jr.

“We must remember that the strength and sprit of our manåmko’ helped them survive the war and shaped who we’ve become today,” said Sen. Frank F. Blas, Jr. “This exhibit displays the photos and stories of our war survivors, and reminds us that they are truly our island’s heroes.”

The exhibit will open with a press conference at the Cathedral-Basilica Museum at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 29, 2010. It will run until Wednesday, December 8, 2010.


Exhibit Hours of Operations (November 29 – December 8, 2010)

Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

December 8: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.


For more information contact Senator Blas at 687-1483 or 472-2527. Please visit our website: www.guamwarsurvivorstory.com.

Global Militarism, Global Peace?

Heritage Hikes this November

HERITAGE HIKES - Tungo' i Estoria-ta!

We Are Guåhan is organizing the following hikes:




Pågat Village: November 6, 2010 @ 9am

Cetti / Sella Bay: November 13, 2010 @ 9am

Mt. Lamlam: November 20, 2010 @ 9am



For more information visit:

http://www.weareguahan.com

Chamorro Language Forums this Week and Next

Chamorro language forums next week
Pacific Daily News
news@guampdn.com
October 12, 2010

The University of Guam Chamorro Language program, We Are Guåhan and the Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice are co-sponsoring a series of a Chamorro language senatorial forums Oct. 19-21 and a gubernatorial Chamorro language forum Oct. 25.

The forums, which begin at 7 p.m., will be held in the University of Guam's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Lecture Hall.
All 15 Democratic senatorial candidates and seven Republican senatorial candidates have confirmed participation, according to the organizers, and the Democratic gubernatorial team of former Gov. Carl Gutierrez and Frank B. Aguon Jr. has confirmed for Oct. 25.

Roland Blas, Dr. Olivia Cruz, Arlene Santos, Debbie Quinata, Joseph Camacho, Maria Pangelinan, Gregorio Calvo, Dan Ho, Tony Susuico and Anthony Malia Ramirez have agreed to assist as interpreters and translators.

At the end of each forum, the audience will vote for their favorite candidates.

All questions will be presented to the candidates in Chamorro. Candidates are encouraged to speak in Chamorro, but will be allowed an interpreter/translator for the evening.

"Chamorro is one of the two official languages of the territory and this event encourages the use of our language and underscores the importance of the Chamorro language to our people," said Peter R. Onedera, a professor of Chamorro at the University of Guam.

The forum is free and open to the general public. Refreshments will be served, according to organizers.

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 .
*
*Our Mission:
*
*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.
*
*Our Vision:
*
*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.
*
*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."
*
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!

One Year Later...

ONE YEAR AGO: WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER


A MEMORIAL OF THE 2009 EARTHQUAKE & TSUNAMI



September 29th, 2010



7pm



Best Western Lighthouse

Pacifica, CA



Please join us as we remember our Homelands of American Samoa & Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga. This is a FREE EVENT!



We look forward to you joining us and appreciate your assistance in spreading the word.



The Host Organizations are:



Samoan Solutions

Together Samoa

Tongan Interfaith Council

SF SAMOA/Samoan Parents In Action

We Are Guahan Call to Action

Community Response to the Record of Decision

We Are Guahan
WeAreGuahan.com

Friday, October 1, 2010
4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Adelup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2010; Guam- With the release of the DoD’s Record of Decision, it has become evident that the Department of Defense will continue to disregard concerns voiced by the people of Guam. Guam’s local residents will be the demographic most severely impacted by plans to increase the US military’s presence within the region through one of the largest peacetime military relocations in modern history. We Are Guahan will be hosting a rally on Oct. 1 to unite the community in response.

The island participated actively within the NEPA process, with over 10,000 comments submitted in response to the Draft EIS from the community and Government of Guam agencies. Despite the outpouring of community involvement, the Final EIS failed to incorporate many of the island’s concerns into their final plans.

Guam’s community and local leaders presented a united front in opposition to the condemnation of land and the taking of more sites considered culturally and historically significant to the island’s indigenous people. However, the Department of Defense’s Record of Decision (ROD) indicates that the condemnation of land through eminent domain is still a possibility. Although decisions regarding the use of Pågat, an ancient Chamorro village and burial site, have been delayed, the site remains affected by the Department of Defense’s preferred alternatives for live-ammunition exercises.

Guam boasts one of the highest rates of enlistment into the United States Armed Forces per capita. Guam’s soldiers have fought and defended American values at rates higher than any other state within the Continental US, but remain excluded from discussions that greatly determine their futures. As a United States colony, residents of Guam lack any real control of their home and its resources. The lack of Democracy involved in the processes surrounding the military build-up in Guam have prompted residents to demand a role in the decision making process.

Plans to realign US troops stationed in Okinawa highlight a critical moment in the island’s history. Residents are uniting in efforts to empower themselves, protect their home’s resources, and shape their futures.

We Are Guahan invites all residents to participate in an island-wide rally to demonstrate unity, commemorate the island’s many sacrifices, and to empower the community to prepare for their home’s future. The rally is scheduled for Friday, October 1st from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at Adelup.

###
Not For Publication

Media Contact/For more information:
Moñeka De Oro, We Are Guåhan
Events Coordinator

Please contact for any concerns at 678-3240

Our islands and our people are bracing themselves for a massive change in tides. We Are Guåhan is a multi-ethnic collective of individuals, families and grassroots organizations concerned with the future of our islands. We Are Guåhan aims to inform and engage our community on the various issues concerning the impending military build up. We Are Guåhan aims to unite and mobilize our people to protect and defend our resources and our culture. We Are Guåhan promotes peaceful, positive and prosperous change for our island. We envision a sustainable future for all of Guåhan’s people.