By Staff Reports
(HONOLULU)–On the cusp of Earth Day, Hōkūleʻa will arrive at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center for a series of public events on April 19 and 20, 2019. This last stop of the Mahalo, HawaiʻiSailwill mark the final chapter of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage and will showcase the efforts by students and community organizations to restore the Ala Wai Watershed. The culminating event will be a fundraising gala on April 20, at which Polynesian Voyaging Society president Nainoa Thompson will share the vision and plans for Hōkūleʻa’s next voyage.
Schedule of Events
Friday, April 19, 2019
Hōkūleʻa Arrival Ceremony, 9:15 a.m.
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Ala Wai Promenade
The public is invited to welcome Hōkūleʻa back to the Hawaiʻi Convention Center at a cultural arrival ceremony. Sailing aboard the canoe will be crewmembers along with students representing the young generation of “navigators” who are working on solutions to create a sustainable future for Island Earth. These students from Oʻahu’s schools are working on projects to restore the Ala Wai Watershed. Following the arrival, a brief program will feature remarks by the students and pwo navigator Nainoa Thompson.
Dockside Canoe Tours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (April 19 and 20)
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Ala Wai Promenade
Hōkūleʻa crewmembers will welcome visitors on board to tour the legendary canoe and learn about the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission to perpetuate the ancient art and science of voyaging and promote the values of caring for Island Earth.
Mālama Ala Wai Community Fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Ala Wai Promenade
The community can learn more about the efforts and how to become involved with efforts to clean and restore the Ala Wai Watershed. Approximately 20 organizations and schools will be sharing their programs and projects at booths lined up along the Ala Wai Promenade next to where Hōkūleʻa will be docked.
The Ala Wai Watershed Restoration and Revitalization Project Summit, 1 to 4 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Room 317 A/B
Free and open to the public (limited seating)
The Hawaii Exemplary State Foundation will hold “A Model System for Empowering the Community to Achieve and Sustain Watershed Ecosystem Health: A Model for the Rest of the World.” Dr. Bruce Wilcox from Bangkok, Thailand will facilitate discussions and engage the community in how to implement a complex systems approach in formulating strategic solutions in addressing issues surrounding the Ala Wai Watershed. He will explain how we are all interdependent of each other and how by working together as a community, we will be able to transform what is considered the most polluted water body in the state into a “swimmable and fishable” water way in 7 years.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Dockside Canoe Tours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Ala Wai Promenade
Island of Innovation Solutions Summit, 9 a.m to 3:45 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Room 314
Free and open to the public, register at divya@hawaiigreengrowth.org
The Islands of Innovation kick-off will showcase island-led solutions advancing Hawai‘iʻs Aloha+ Challenge and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Polynesian Voyaging Society Fundraiser Gala, 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Kalākaua Ballroom
Themed Nā Kilo Lani (meaning Stargazers, Charting the Future) will honor PVS’s legendary founders Ben Finney, Tommy Holmes and Herb Kane, as well as recognize three of PVS’s major supporters: The James and Abigail Campbell Family Foundation, Harold K. L. Castle Foundation and Annenberg Foundation. The event will also feature a dinner, silent auction, dockside Hōkūleʻa tours and entertainment by Chad Takatsugi. Details on tickets and table sponsorships are available at http://www.hokulea.com/gala/.
The Hawaiʻi Convention Center is offering event parking for all events for $10.
AboutMahalo, Hawaiʻi Sail
During the 20-month Mahalo, Hawaiʻi Sail, Hōkūleʻa and her crew visited dozens of communities throughout the State to express thanks for supporting the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage and to celebrate their environmental and cultural sustainability efforts.
About the Polynesian Voyaging Society: The Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in 1973 on a legacy of Pacific Ocean exploration, seeking to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential education programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, one other, and their natural and cultural environments.
For more information about the Polynesian Voyaging Society, visit www.hokulea.comor find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google+.
Note: The Polynesian Voyaging Society is sensitive to and understands the importance of diacritical markings. In mediums where the reproduction of these markings is true (i.e., in print), diacritical markings will be used. If a communication crosses several mediums to include the Web, which does not always reproduce diacritical markings correctly, diacritical markings will not be used.
