FSM NORMA
May 22, 2017
An Outcome & Appreciation Ceremony was held on May 19, 2017 by the National Oceanic Resource Management Authority, during which Executive Director Eugene Pangelinan presented appreciation certificates to all involved in helping to make the FSM’s first World Tuna Day celebrations a success. The unofficial results of an event survey were presented at the gathering, which noted feedback in areas such as better timing, enhanced logistics and improved participation. The overall coordination of the event was reported in the survey as being excellent.
In official remarks, Executive Director Pangelinan expressed expectation that next year’s World Tuna Day event would be even bigger and better than this year’s event and that the Early Childhood Education Centers would continue to participate. Executive Director Pangelinan also indicated his shared hope with Vice President Yosiwo P. George, as expressed during his keynote address at the World Tuna Day Fair that, that as a way to improve on participation and timing of the event, efforts would be underway to work with the FSM Congress to make World Tuna Day an official FSM holiday. “We must improve on public awareness of this important resource. What better way to do that than to designate World Tuna Day as a legal holiday, so that everyone can participate in the celebrations?”
Among various contests held for World Tuna Day was a tuna-themed, locally tailored skirt or “urohs” competition. Submitted skirt designs were open to public viewing and judging by fair-goers, then auctioned live at the WTD fair. The live auction garnered $850, proceeds of which were divided equally among the five Pohnpei State Early Childhood Education Centers that participated in the WTD Fair and presented at the Outcome & Appreciation Ceremony. Accepting the certificates and donations on behalf of ECE were Mrs. Marmihner Pelep for Sapwalap ECE, Mrs. Rosalihna Rosario for ESDM ECE, Mrs. Arsenia Barnabas for Pehleng ECE, Ms. Dyna Amusten for Wone ECE and Mrs. Elise Ioanis for Wenik ECE. After receiving their donations, the ECE representatives presented a children’s song that they composed for their students for World Tuna Day, which referenced the importance of fish to our daily lives and how it is essential “from head to toe.”
Also present at the Outcome & Appreciation Ceremony were representatives from World Bank/PROP, FSM Vital Petrocorp, FSM Telecommunications, Conservation Society of Pohnpei, Pohnpei Department of Health Services, FSM Department of Foreign Affairs, Vice President’s Office, King’s Media Zone, Etscheit Enterprises, Jitters Coffee, Kaselehlie Press and volunteers from COM-FSM, all of whom contributed to a successful inaugural World Tuna Day Fair.
For more information or to participate in the World Tuna Day Feedback Survey, please contact the NORMA Office at (691) 320-2700, email Chief of Statistics, Compliance & Technical Projects Ms. Suzanne Lowe Gallen (suzanne.gallen@norma.fm) or visit the NORMA Facebook page.