THE CNMI Women’s Affairs Office marked International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8 with a Mini Cultural Festival at the Carolinian Affairs Office grounds in Garapan.
Joannie Laniyo, a WAO administrative assistant, said 15 different cultures were represented at the festival and sold cultural crafts and other items.
Food vendors, entertainment, and free canoe rides courtesy of 500 Sails also highlighted the event.
“Our main goal is women empowerment,” Laniyo said. “For International Women’s Day, our theme is ‘Inspiring Inclusion,’ so we wanted to make it a cultural affair because we wanted to include others.”
The participating cultural groups were Hawaiian, Carolinian, Chamorro, Chuukese, Chinese, Kapingamarangi and Nukuoro, Korean, Marshallese, Palauan, Filipino, Tongan, Yapese, Russian and Samoan.
Laniyo said the event also aimed to spread awareness about WAO’s programs.
She said WAO has scheduled other activities in honor of CNMI Women’s Month, which is for the remainder of March.
These include a coconut leaf-weaving and mwar-making workshop on March 12 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Carolinian Affairs Office; and the CNMI Women’s Month Walkathon on March 16 at 6 a.m. at the Gov. Eloy S. Inos Peace Park in Puerto Rico.
Call WAO at (670) 488-2658 for more details.
Representatives of various cultures participated in the Mini Cultural Festival organized by the CNMI Women’s Affairs Office on Friday.
