“Alii” from Palau,
my beautiful island home
in the western Pacific Ocean.
We Palauans have been here
for over 3,000 years,
living in harmony with nature
in our pristine paradise environment.
Palau is home to just 20,000 people,
but we are a large ocean state
with more than 300 islands,
covering an area the size of France.
Some of our islands are coral atolls,
others are volcanic,
covered with hills,
ancient forests and mangroves,
all with beautiful beaches
bordering the crystal-clear sea,
which is alive with incredible,
rare marine life.
But our home is now threatened
by climate change.
The climate crisis
is causing sea levels to rise,
and brings so much pollution
to our shores.
Plastics drift in
from thousands of miles away,
washing up on our beaches,
threatening our marine life.
Our precious soil is being washed away
by increased rain,
and in other seasons,
new droughts are having a terrible impact
on our fragile ecosystems.
We warmly welcome visitors who come
to our beautiful country every year.
We want them to enjoy Palau,
but we need their help
to protect our precious home
and preserve it for future generations.
But visitors don't always know
how to protect Palau.
They don't understand
that stepping on coral
can badly damage our reefs.
Some corals take
hundreds of years to regrow.
They are sometimes careless
and take protected species,
or interact with nature in harmful ways.
That's why we introduced the Palau Pledge.
When visitors come to Palau,
they must all sign
an environmental pledge,
which is stamped
into their passport as their visa.
The pledge is a promise
to the children of Palau
to preserve and respect our home,
our culture and heritage.
We also hope that when they return home,
visitors will share the idea of the pledge
by practicing it at home
and in their community.
Through our traditional chants,
our elders have passed on
that we do not inherit the land
and waters from our ancestors.
We borrow them from our children.
That's what the Palau Pledge is about.
And here it is.
“Children of Palau,
I take this pledge as your guest
to preserve and protect your beautiful
and unique island home.
I vow to tread lightly,
act kindly and explore mindfully.
I shall not take what is not given.
I shall not harm what does not harm me.
The only footprints I shall leave
are those that will wash away."