Page 16 - IB May 2018 Edition

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PNA countries honour tuna

with music, dance & poetry

Countries around the world
are gearing up for May 2nd -
World Tuna Day.

It’s a day for celebration – and to edu-
cate the global public, business owners,
consumers and our children, about what
it takes to keep our tuna stocks healthy
and sustainable. World Tuna Day is about
teaching people that their voice matters;
when they demand certified tuna that
has been caught sustainably the business
world listens – and responds.

This year the PNA has encourged its World Tuna Day was designated a global holiday in 2016 at the United Nations General Assembly.
member citizens and residents to explore
“Smart Tuna – Smart Ocean” in their Art the PNA office staff. A first place winner, competitions that include essays, poetry
and Talent Quest 2018. This contest in- who will receive $3,000, and two run- and music. They also have tuna carving
vites art, song, poetry, dance and drama ners up, who will each win $500, will be and tuna poke making contests in store.
entries that convey a “smart” message. announced on May 2nd as festivities and Meanwhile, their neighbours in the FSM
Contestants across the PNA-member other activities get underway locally. have announced essay competitions for
countries, the small island nations of high school students, as well as t-shirt
FSM, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, PNG, RMI, PNA Member countries are gearing design, drawing and recipe contests for
Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, have submit- up for their own island celebrations. The the public. They are preparing a float
ted several works that will be judged by Marshall Islands has announed school and, in addition, have speeches, singing,
and skit contests planned. The day will be
topped off with booths and games for the
kids. And for the adults, plans for a fish-
ing tournament are underway. Kiribati has
devoted their whole day to a programme
that begins with singers who will present
a newly composed song written to honour
the event. They will move on to speeches
and then to presentations from students
of all ages presenting rhymes, poems and
pictures. Papua New Guinea will support
environmental sustainability with a clean-
a-thon and the Solomon Islands always
has wonderful and memorable festivities
to commemorate the special day.
World Tuna Day has been celebrated
since 2011 when the Parties to the
Nauru Agreement (PNA) declared May
2nd a holiday to honour the importance of
tuna. In 2016 the United Nations General
Assembly unanimously voted to elevate
the occasion by designating a resolution,
making World Tuna Day a global holiday
to honour and “highlight the importance
of sustainably managed fish stocks in
achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustain-
Traditional dancers in Papua New Guinea observe World Tuna Day with local songs celebrating fishing and the won- able Development.”
ders of the ocean.

16 Islands Business, May 2018