PROCLAMATION

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF JUNE 1 – 7, 2011 AS

SAMOAN LANGUAGE WEEK

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PROCLAIMED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, according to the United States Census 2010, there are 98, 945 Samoans in America and the Samoan community is the second largest Pacific Islander ethnic community after Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, SAMOAN LANGUAGE WEEK (SLW), USA is an international observance and celebration of the SAMOAN LANGUAGE and culture around the world and the goal of SLW is to promote the teaching, learning, restoration and preservation of the SAMOAN LANGUAGE; and

WHEREAS, the objective of SLW is to raise awareness of the SAMOAN LANGUAGE as an endangered, indigenous language of a United States territory (American Samoa), and to participate actively in building a global SAMOAN LANGUAGE appreciation community with the partnering countries of New Zealand, Australia, and others; and

WHEREAS, SAMOAN LANGUAGE WEEK occurs annually and aims to promote initiatives to maintain and grow the recognition, learning and use of the SAMOAN LANGUAGE in the home, in education, at work, in government, in the media, in sports, in the arts, in the church and in the community; and

WHEREAS, families, early childhood centers, K – 12 schools, colleges and universities, other educational institutions, government departments, city councils, libraries, employers and unions, media, churches and community groups are all encouraged to undertake activities in support of SAMOAN LANGUAGE WEEK,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County designates the week of June 1 through 7, 2011 as SAMOAN LANGUAGE WEEK and wishes all participants great success with their activities.

Dated: June 1, 2011

SUPERVISORS:

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CAROLE GROOM, President

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DAVE PINE

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DON HORSLEY

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ROSE JACOBS GIBSON

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ADRIENNE J. TISSIER

Attest:

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Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors