FSM Information Services
Press Release
FSM National Government & Blue Prosperity Coalition Announce Conservation Program Naming Contest; All FSM Citizens & Residents Eligible & Encouraged to Participate
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On April 27th, 2020, His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Blue Prosperity Coalition (BPC), which is inclusive of the Waitt Institute, National Geographic Pristine Seas, Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), and Oceans 5, announced a contest for all citizens and residents of the FSM to provide an official name for the program to be implementing the Nation’s stated objective, as expressed in the President’s Inaugural Address in July 2019, to support the protection of at least thirty percent (30%) of the FSM’s waters.
Citizens will recall that President Panuelo met with Mr. Ted Waitt, Founder and Chairman of the Waitt Institute, in July 2019 and again in September 2019 to formalize the Nation’s partnership with BPC so as to begin the work of building the necessary legislation and programming to conserve and protect the FSM’s marine environments. With the long-term goal of ensuring that the FSM’s resources are abundant decades and centuries from now, the FSM-BPC partnership will work hand-in-hand with the National and State Governments to conduct scientific assessments, develop a Marine Spatial Plan and a Blue Economy Plan, and build upon existing conservation commitments to protect at least 30% of the FSM’s waters.
“What we are asking you to do,” President Panuelo said in a statement, “And I really do mean YOU—ALL citizens AND all residents of this Paradise in Our Backyard, is to help us create a name that truly embodies the goals of this program to help build a more prosperous, sustainable, and abundant marine habitat for the future of the FSM.”
“At the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the [BPC], I expressed that we are blessed with clean water and air, fertile soil and healthy reefs, majestic mountains and captivating sunrises and sunsets,” President Panuelo continued. “If our loyalty is to our families and our communities, our duty is to protect our natural resources to ensure the collective well-being of our children’s children.”
All FSM citizens and residents are eligible and encouraged to participate in the FSM-BPC Program Naming Contest, which will begin accepting entries on May 4th, 2020, until May 29th, 2020. Based on the name chosen, a logo will be designed by a Micronesian artist to represent the national unity of the States of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae in conserving our environment and its marine resources.
On June 1st, 2020, the eight (8) person selection committee, inclusive of representatives from BPC, MCT, and line agencies of the FSM National Government, will begin the selection process, with the Contest winners announced during the week of June 8th, 2020.
The winner will receive a cash prize of two thousand dollars ($2,000), kindly sponsored by BPC. Nineteen (19) runners-up will be selected for consolation prizes which will be two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) in gift certificates to local stores and businesses.
The Contest’s submissions will be managed by Ms. Drinnette James from MCT. For further information on the official logistics, rules, and submission processes of the FSM-BPC Conservation Program Naming Contest, please visit here: https://forms.gle/Pbb9WTaEwAK2femh6 or visit the MCT website at: http://www.ourmicronesia.org/
For further information on the FSM-BPC Partnership, please visit here: https://tinyurl.com/FSM-BPC
