THE Friends of the Mariana Trench or FOMT 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 or MPAs 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?”
North Side – Meeting #1
Date: Friday, Nov. 22, 2024
Time: 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Tanapag Youth Center
East Side – Meeting #2
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Location: Kagman Community Center
West Side – Meeting #3
Date: Friday, Dec. 6, 2024
Time: 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Carolinian Utt
South Side – Meeting #4
Date: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
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/.
