Indian- American Friendship Council (IAFC) - Hawaii chapter
Coordinator, Dr. Raj Kumar, initiated Resolutions SCR 20 and HCR 26
to establish a Sister-State Relationship between Hawaii, United
States of America and Goa, India in the Twenty Eighth Legislative
session, December 2015. The resolution was introduced by
Honorable Senator Brian Taniguchi in the Senate and Honorable
Representative Ken Ito, Chair of the Veteran, Military and
International Affairs (VMI) in the House.
All the 25 senators, both Republican and Democrat, signed this
resolution in the first reading after it was introduced in the Senate
on January 29, 2016. Indian community, local residents,
students, teachers, professors, interfaith leaders and diverse
business groups submitted testimonials in support of this important
resolution.
The resolution was passed and adopted by the Tourism and
International Affairs Committee members- Honorable Senator Kaiali’i
Kahele, Honorable Senator Brickwood Galuteria, Honorable Senator Sam
Slom, and Vice-Chair and the Senate Majority leader, Honorable
Senator Kalani English, on February 28, 2016.
The VMI Committee in the House also passed the resolution
unanimously on April 14, 2016. Hawaii’s Congresswoman, Tulsi
Gabbard, and her father, Honorable Senator Mike Gabbard, also
supported this resolution.
This historic agreement is not only between two great two states
but also between world’s two large democracies.
Chief Minister of Goa, Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar, appointed Dr. Kumar
as Liaison in September 2015. Delegates from Goa will visit Hawaii to
sign this historic legislation in July 2016. Consulate General of
India from San Francisco, IAFC Founder, Dr. Krishna Reddy and
Associate Director of Indian tourism from California may attend the
signing ceremony with Hawaii Governor, David Ige, and Hawaii
Lawmakers.
East West Center, University of Hawaii, and ISKCON temple will
host receptions for the delegates from Goa along with prominent
people in Hawaii.
Delegates from Hawaii and the marketing team of Hawaiian Tourism
Authority will also travel to Goa in November 2016. Mr. Max
Sword, Vice-President of Outrigger hotel announced that he plans to
open first Outrigger hotel in Goa, India. Professor Marc Jason
Gilbert, who teaches history at Hawaii Pacific University also
announced that he would take his students to visit Goa during Winter
break.
This Memorandum of Understanding is to promote exchange of
culture, education, Information Technology, agricultural products,
medicinal plants, herbal medicine, and culinary art programs. It will
also promote trade, sports, tourism, Yoga, Ayurveda, wellness expo
and training programs, Interfaith and World Peace conferences.
Last year, The Gandhi International Institute for Peace (GIIP)
initiated SB 332 in Hawaii Legislature. It was passed and signed into
Act 5 by the Hawaii Governor, Honorable David Ige, on April 10, 2015.
This bill was to declare “Mahatma Gandhi Day†in Hawaii.
Therefore, Hawaii is the first state in US to proclaim ‘October
2 as Mahatma Gandhi Day’.
photo: In the photo from left to right: Mr. Nathan Miyaki- Office Staff of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Mr. Milton Kwock- Manager of DEBDT, Ms. Ashley Kaono- Office Staff of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Hon. Senator Brickwood Galuteria, Dr. Raj Kumar- President IAFC-Hawaii Chapter, Hon. Senator Kalani English, Madana Sundari and Debbie Young- GIIP members, and Hon. Senator Kaiali'i Kahele.
