FOMT to host series of village meetings

Friends of the Mariana Trench is excited to announce a series of village meetings across Saipan aimed at creating safe and inclusive spaces for community members to share their perspectives on ocean conservation. These discussions will focus on concerns surrounding efforts like Marine Protected Areas and the global 30×30 initiative, as well as explore solutions and ideas for what these initiatives should look like for the CNMI.

The village project was born out of concerns about the lack of traditional ecological knowledge and Indigenous perspectives in federal conservation decision-making. Too often, policies are developed without meaningful input from local communities. This project seeks to redefine conservation by asking, “What does Indigenous-led ocean stewardship look like?”

Village meeting schedule:

North side — Meeting #1

Date: Friday, Nov. 22, 2024

Time: 5pm-6:30pm

Location: Tanapag Youth Center

East side — Meeting #2

Date: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024

Time: 8:30am-10am

Location: Kagman Community Center

West Side — Meeting #3

Date: Friday, Dec. 6, 2024

Time: 5pm-6:30pm

Location: Carolinian Utt

South Side — Meeting #4

Date: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024

Time: 8:30am-10am

Location: Koblerville Youth Center

FOMT invites everyone with a passion for protecting our ocean heritage to attend these meetings. Together, we aim to shape a community-centered approach to ocean conservation that uplifts local voices, fosters intergenerational knowledge exchange, and prioritizes Indigenous-led solutions.

By participating, community members will help unify efforts for sustainable ocean resource management and contribute to a vision that reflects the values, culture, and future aspirations of the CNMI.

For more information, contact Alex Tudela at atudela@friendsmarianatrench.org or Kina Rangamar at krangamar@friendsmarianatrench.org, or visit our website at friendsmarianatrench.org. (PR)