KOROR (Palau Horizon) — Close to 300 Pacific island educators attended the annual Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association hosted by Palau from June 17 to 21.
The participants, according to Sinton Soalablai, chairman of the organizing committee, came from Guam, the Northern Marianas, Chuuk, Kosrae and Hawaii.
Around 150 teachers and principals from Palau joined the conference.
Soalablai said the annual conference is a venue for the associations of the different member-islands to meet yearly and share information and knowledge on bilingual and bicultural education.
He said the workshop discussed how different cultures and language could merge.
In Palau, Soalablai said aside from the Palauan language, the locals speak mostly English and there exists not only a Palauan culture but also Western culture.
The educators shared with the other participants how they have successfully merged two different cultures and languages in their schools and learning institutions, Soalablai said.
Every year, Pacific educators meet to discuss matters concerning language and cultural issues.
Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association recognizes the importance of the educators’ role in preserving and promoting bilingualism and biculturalism throughout the Pacific, Soalablai said.
