05/06/2026
Their Royal Highnesses Lead Tonga’s World Ocean Day 2026 Commemoration
Global Theme: “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet”
Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Princess Sinaitakala and Prince Taufaʻahau Manumataongo Tuku’aho led a commemoration of World Ocean Day 2026 with the launch of a childrens ocean planning storybook at Ancient Tonga, Fangaloto as part of Environment Week.
The programme opened with welcome remarks from the CEO of the Ministry of MEIDECC, Sione 'Akauola, who reminded students that “all of us depend on the ocean” and that strong Marine Protected Areas help “fish populations grow, coral reefs recover, and communities remain resilient.”
Delivering the Keynote Address, Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess cast a vision for raising “ocean guardians” and embedding ocean learning across Tonga’s education system. She reminded attendees:
“Tonga is 99.9% ocean. Our ocean feeds us, protects our islands, and carries our culture and stories.”
With almost all of Tonga’s national domain made up of ocean, the programme underscored the importance of learning more about it, how to understand it, how to care for it, and how to harness its opportunities for resilience, sustainability, and prosperity.
Her Royal Highness emphasised that these foundations begin in Early Childhood Education, where the seeds of ocean literacy are first planted. She highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening ocean learning and exploring the vision of Blue Schools, noting:
“Blue Schools are places where students learn about the ocean not only from books, but also at the beach, in the water, and through real experiences.”
She reaffirmed Tonga’s national goals of 30% fully protected and 100% sustainably managed ocean, adding:
“When we protect special places in the ocean, fish return, coral reefs becomes healthier, our coasts stay safer, and families who fish have more to catch."
"A strong ocean, means a strong future,” She emphasized.
Director of Environment Lupe Matoto shared the inspiration behind the new children’s storybook Mele and the Map of the Great Blue Kingdom, which introduces ocean planning ideas at the primary school level and helps young learners appreciate how Tonga plans and cares for its ocean.
Following the keynote, HRH Prince Taufaʻahau Manumataongo delivered the first public reading of the storybook, bringing Mele’s journey to life for the children gathered and symbolising the intergenerational responsibility of ocean guardianship.
In closing, the book’s author and Head of the Ocean Governance and Marine Spatial Planning Division, Dr. Fononga Vainga Mangisi Mafile’o, thanked guests and ocean champions for celebrating our ocean through shared learning, for sowing seeds of knowledge and inspiration, and for demonstrating true intergenerational leadership.
The event featured school items, and “Ocean Treasures” curated by the Intergrated Ocean Governance and MSP Team, aligning with the global theme.
The event was financially supported by the Blue Nature Alliance, the Waitt Institute, and GEF/UNEP, whose partnerships continue to strengthen Tonga’s marine protection and ocean planning efforts.
Takimu’a ‘a e Fale ‘a Tupou hono Fakamanatu ‘o e ‘Aho Fakamamani Lahi ‘o e ‘Oseni 2026
Kaveinga Fakamāmani Lahi: “Ngaahi Feitu‘u Tahi ‘oku Malu‘i, ke Mālohi Ma’a Hotau Palanite”
Na’e takimu’a ‘a e Pilinisesi Kalauni Sinaitakala mo Pilinisi Taufa’ahau Manumataongo Tuku’aho ‘i ha polokalama fakamanatua ‘o e ‘Aho Fakamamani Lahi ‘o e ‘Oseni 2026, ‘aki hono fakaola ‘o e tohi talanoa ki he ‘oseni ma’a e longa’ifanau. Ne fakahoko e ouau ni ‘i he ‘aho 2 ‘o Sune 2026 ‘i he Ancient Tonga, Fangaloto ko e konga ‘o e Uike ‘o e ‘Atakai.
Naʻe fakaava ʻa e polokalamá ʻaki ha ngaahi lea talitali mei he Talekita P**e ʻo e Potungaue MEIDECC, Sione ʻAkauola, ʻa ia naʻá ne fakamanatu ki he fānau akó “ʻoku tau fakafalala kotoa pē ki he ʻoseni” pea ʻoku tokoni ʻa e Ngaahi ʻĒlia Maluʻi ʻo e Tahí ʻoku mālohi ke “tupulaki ʻa e tokolahi ʻo e iká, fakaakeake ʻa e ngaahi feo, pea kei malava ‘a e ngaahi kolo ‘o matu’uaki.”
‘I he me’a ‘a e Pilinisesi Kalauni na’a e fakaha ‘a e visone ki hono ‘ohake ‘o e “kau tauhi ‘oseni” pea mo hono fakakau ‘o e ako fekau’aki mo e ‘oseni ‘i he sisitemi ako ‘a Tonga. Naʻá ne fakamanatu ki he kau maʻu fakatahá: “Ko e peseti ‘e 99.9% ‘a Tonga ko e ‘oseni. Ko hotau ‘oseni ‘oku ne fafanga kitautolu, malu’i hotau ngaahi motu, pea ‘oku ne fakafolau hotau anga fakafonua mo e ngaahi talanoa.”
Meimei kotoa ‘o e ‘oseni ‘o Tonga, na’e fakamamafa’i ai ‘e he polokalama ‘a e mahu’inga ke ako lahi ange fekau’aki mei ai, founga ke mahino’i ai, founga ke tokanga’i ai, mo e founga ke faka’aonga’i ai hono ngaahi faingamalie ki he tu’uma’u, tu’uloa, mo lakalakaimonū.
Na’e fakamamafa’i ‘e he Ta’ahine Pilinisesi ‘oku kamata ‘a e ngaahi fakava’e ko ‘eni ‘i he Ako Tokamu’a, ‘a ia ‘oku ‘uluaki tō ai ‘a e ‘ilo ki he lautohi fekau’aki mo e ‘oseni. Na’a ne faka’ilonga’i ‘a e tukupā ‘a e P**e’anga ke fakamālohia ‘a e ako ‘o e ‘oseni mo fakatotolo’i ‘a e visone ‘a e ngaahi ‘Apiako Lanu Pulu, ‘o ne fakatokanga’i:
“Ko e Ngaahi ʻApiako Lanu Puluú ko ha ngaahi feituʻu ia ʻoku ako ai ʻa e fānau akó fekauʻaki mo e ʻoseni ʻo ʻikai ngata pē ʻi he ngaahi tohí, ka ʻi he matātahí foki, ʻi he vaí, pea ʻi he ngaahi meʻa moʻoni ʻoku nau aʻusiá.”
Na’a ne toe fakapapau’i ‘a e ngaahi taumu’a fakafonua ‘a Tonga ko e peseti ‘e 30% ‘o e ‘oseni ‘oku malu’i kakato pea ko e peseti ‘e 100% ‘o e ‘oseni ‘oku pule’i tu’uloa, 'o ne to e fakalahi mai:
"Ko e taimi 'oku tau malu'i ai 'a e ngaahi feitu'u makehe 'i he 'oseni, 'oku foki mai 'a e ika, 'oku mo'ui lelei ange 'a e ngaahi hakau, malu ange hotau ngaahi matātahi, pea 'oku lahi ange 'a e me'a ke ma'u 'e he ngaahi famili 'oku nau toutai."
‘I he’ene me’a, "Ko ha 'oseni malohi, 'oku 'uhinga ia ki ha kaha'u malohi.
Na’e vahevahe ‘e he Talekita ‘o e ‘Atakai ko Lupe Matoto ‘a e fakakaukau fekau’aki mo e tohi talanoa fo’ou ‘a e fanau ko Mele mo e Mape ‘o e ‘Oseni, ‘a ia ‘oku ne fakafe’iloaki mai ‘a e ngaahi fakakaukau palani ‘o e ‘oseni ‘i he tu’unga ‘o e ako’anga ma’olunga pea tokoni ki he kau ako kei iiki ke nau hounga’ia ‘i he founga ‘oku palani mo tokanga’i ai ‘e Tonga ‘a hono ‘oseni.
Hili eni, na’e fakahoko ai ‘e Pilinisi Taufa’ahau Manumataongo Tuku'aho ‘a e fuofua me’a ‘o e tohi talanoá, ‘o ‘omi ai ‘a e fononga ‘a Mele ki he mo’uí ‘a ia ne fakatahatahá mai ai ‘a e fanau pea ‘oku fakataipe ‘a e fatongia fakato’utangata ‘o e tauhi ‘o e ‘oseni.
‘I hono faka’osi, na’e fakamālō ai ‘a e tokotaha na’a ne fa’u ‘a e tohi pea ko e P**e Ngaue ‘a e Va’a P**e’i Fakatahataha ‘o e ‘Oseni mo e Palani Fakafeitu’u ‘o e Tahi, Dr. Fononga Vainga Mangisi Mafile’o, ki he kau fakaafe mo e kau taukapo ‘o e ‘oseni ‘o fakafou ‘i he ako fakataha, ‘i hono tō ‘a e ‘ilo mo e ue’i fakalaumālie, pea mo e fakahaa’i ‘o e taki mo’oni fakato’utangata.
Na’e faka’ali’ali ‘i he polokalama ni ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakaako, pea mo e “Ngaahi Koloa ‘o e ‘Oseni” na’e fakahoko ‘e he Timi P**e’i Fakatahataha ‘o e ‘Oseni mo e MSP, ‘o fakatatau ki he kaveinga fakamamani lahi.
Na’e tokoni fakapa’anga ki he polokalama ni ‘a e Blue Nature Alliance, Waitt Institute, mo e GEF/UNEP, ‘a ia ‘oku kei hokohoko atu pe ‘enau ngaahi fengaue’aki ke fakaivia ‘a e feinga malu’i ‘o e tahi mo e palani ‘o e ‘oseni ‘a Tonga.
