Rep. Tulsi Gabbard delivers remarks to honor the legacy of King Kamehameha at the annual lei draping ceremony in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Gabbard’s office)

MEDIA RELEASE

Tulsi Gabbard joined the Hawaii State Society of Washington D.C., state and federal leaders from Hawaii, and hundreds of guests Sunday to rededicate the statue of King Kamehameha in the Capitol Visitors Center in Washington, DC.

This year marked the 44th annual rededication and lei draping ceremony.

In her remarks to the audience, Gabbard honored and celebrated King Kamehameha as “a great warrior chief” who is “remembered for his humanity and his commitment to his people.”

She said, “Today is an opportunity to reflect in a very personal way about how we can learn from the example that he set as one of our original and first servant-leaders. His great achievement, his great lesson for all of us, was his conquest of these warring islands and his ability to unify many different people with unique backgrounds, unique cultures, unique values and bringing them together as one people of Hawaii under his leadership.”

The state holiday King Kamehameha I Day will be observed Tuesday, June 11.