PIBBA conference begins

Governor Pedro P. Tenorio last night played host to a special gala banquet in honor of over 250 19th Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association conference participants at the Da-Ichi Hotel poolside, officially kicking off the three-day event.

PIBBA members from five political island entities in the Pacific are currently on island to discuss timely cultural and language issues besetting the region.
The conference proper begins today at the Garapan Elementary School from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

PIBBA international president Bill I. Macaranas said during the welcome dinner he delighted over the remarkable amount of participation from neighboring islands of Palau, Hawaii, Guam, Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

“Your continued participation and support to the association is certainly an added plus to the survival of the islands’ languages and cultures in the coming generations,” he told to PIBBA members and guests.

In his welcome speech, Gov. Tenorio also underscored the importance of preserving the native language if all indigenous cultures are determined to maintain the values handed down by the older generation.

“Successes in the maintenance of our indigenous language and culture must be shared among ourselves,” said the governor.

He also lauded the efforts by the organizing committee for making an outstanding job in preparing for the event.

“Our Languages and Cultures: The Challenge in the New Millennium” is the theme for this year’s three-day conference ending on Friday.

Jesus Elameto, PIBBA local chapter president, said the conference will mainly tackle the development of language policies as well as the curriculum using the bilingual method currently in use.

The forum will also touch on language assessments, English as Second Language (ESL), reading methods, and language learning theories, according to Mr. Elameto.

The CNMI last hosted the PIBBA conference in 1995. Last year, the forum was held in Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia which drew over 500 participants.

PIBBA’s mission is to promote bilingualism and biculturalism in the Pacific, to establish channels of communication for disseminating information relevant to bilingual/bicultural activities in the Pacific.

The group also aims to foster community involvement in the development and implementation of bilingual/bicultural policies in region and serve as a forum for development of such philosophies.

It also encourages the implementation of quality programs of bilingual/bicultural instruction in Pacific Islands’ schools and communities.

The language and cultures of PIBBA represent Yapese, Ulithians, Satawalese, Balau’ans, Kosraeans, Chuukese, Mortlockese, Pinglapese, Sapwuafik, Nukuoron, Kapingamarangian, Puluwatese, Pohnpeians, Carolinians of the CNMI, Chamorros of Guahan and the CNMI, Hawaiians, American Samoans, and Marshallese. (MM)