MEDIA RELEASE
Sunday (May 15), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) joined hundreds at the Old Town Alexandria Waterfront Park to welcome the HÅkÅ«le’a as it came down the Potomac River to Washington, DC. The congresswoman toured the HÅkÅ«le’a, welcomed the crew and all those present for the arrival ceremony, and enjoyed music and dance presented by local hÄlaus and the Piscataway Conoy Tribe of Maryland.
“It was wonderful to see so many people from HawaiÊ»i and the Pacific come together to welcome the historic HÅkÅ«le’a to our nation’s capital today. Through their travels across the globe, HÅkÅ«le’a and her crew have united people and nations through a mission of MÄlama Honua—caring for our home, our place. MÄlama Honua includes sharing the aloha spirit with people around the world, and is something that each of us can take to heart and apply in our lives every single day. As we welcome the HÅkÅ«le’a to Washington DC, we are reminded that we each have a responsibility to make our oceans, our land, and our home a safer, cleaner, and better place.”
HÅkÅ«leÊ»a has voyaged traditionally for 40 years, sailing over 150,000 nautical miles throughout the Pacific. Since leaving HawaiÊ»i on the “MÄlama Honua†worldwide voyage, the HÅkÅ«le‘a has travelled to more than 12 countries and 55 ports. In March 2016, HÅkÅ«leÊ»a touched the continental US for the first time in the Everglades of Florida, and has since sailed up the East Coast of the U.S. The crew will spend a week in Washington, DC before setting sail to New York City to join the World Oceans Day events hosted by the United Nations on June 8, 2016.
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