First Chamorro conference to be held in Guam in March

The first Chamorro Conference is now in the works and it hopes to gather at least 500 participants from Guam and the CNMI this March 29 to 31.

Steering committee members and officers, both from Guam and the CNMI, held a meeting yesterday afternoon at the Office on Aging conference room.

Project coordinator Raymond R. Quintanilla said the conference would be the first ever that would bring together Chamorros from the CNMI and Guam to discuss themes of “Leadership, Research and Development and New Horizons of Knowledge” through keynote speakers, panels, and individual presentations.

Quintanilla said the three-day event would be held in Guam. It will also feature Chamorro cultural exhibits, arts and crafts, and entertainment.

The steering committee already met with Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela and Northern Islands Mayor Valentin I. Taisakan. Quintanilla said the steering committee is grateful for the enthusiasm of the two mayors in collaborating for the event.

The group will also fly to the islands of Rota and Tinian next week to discuss with the islands’ mayors the extent of their participation in the conference.

The steering committee members will also talk to the business community to assist in sponsoring or mitigating the cost of flying the participants to Guam for the conference.

The event would need at least $45,000. Quintanilla said 70 percent of the budget would be shouldered by the Guam steering committee while the rest would have to come from the CNMI team.

“We are very excited for the conference,” said Quintanilla. He said the conference would be the first to discuss issues and concerns related to the Chamorro language, culture, and perspectives.

“It encompasses Chamorro representatives of all inhabited islands of the Marianas. The name ‘Isla Marianas’ commonly refers to the peoples of the islands today but we were once known as ‘Tano I Chamorros,” he added.

Although political directives and separate governments divide the people and the islands, he said the conference will enable Chamorros to become one in the spirit of “coming together culturally. Fanachu!”

Department of Community and Cultural Affairs acting Secretary Daisy V. Bier said her office would do the best it could to provide assistance in making the event a reality.