HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

193

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TO PLACE IOLANI PALACE ON THE NOMINATION LIST TO THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION FOR WORLD HERITAGE SITE DESIGNATION.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, over 125 years ago, King Kalakaua ruled over an independent Hawaiian nation that was recognized internationally and had established over 90 legations and consulates in multiple seaports and cities of foreign countries; and

 

     WHEREAS, part of King Kalakaua’s vision was the construction of Iolani Palace as a showcase for Hawaii's social sophistication and technological advancement; and

 

     WHEREAS, following the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani in 1893, Iolani Palace ceased to be a royal palace and became the seat of government for five types of political administrations:   a provisional government, a republic, a territory, a military government, and finally, a state; and

 

     WHEREAS, Iolani Palace was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962; and

 

     WHEREAS, the executive and legislative branches of the State of Hawaii vacated Iolani Palace in 1969 and moved to the newly constructed State Capitol building, thus paving the way for The Friends of Iolani Palace to proceed with restoration; and

 

     WHEREAS, over the next decade, The Friends of Iolani Palace, founded in 1966 by Liliuokalani Kawananakoa Morris, who was a grand-niece of Queen Kapiolani, painstakingly worked to return Iolani Palace to its former grandeur as it appeared during the Kalakaua Dynasty; and


     WHEREAS, in 1978, Iolani Palace reopened to the public with the mission of perpetuating the Hawaiian monarchy and providing both visitors and residents with a fresh understanding of Hawaii’s royal heritage; and

 

     WHEREAS, when the current United States (U.S.) list of candidate sites was compiled for consideration as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Iolani Palace was not invited by the National Park Service to apply; and

 

     WHEREAS, due to the unique cultural and historical attributes of Iolani Palace and the underrepresentation of World Heritage sites in Oceania, The Friends of Iolani Palace believes that Iolani Palace meets multiple criteria for selection to become the very first man-made structure in Polynesia to be designated a World Heritage Site; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of The Friends of Iolani Palace unanimously passed a motion to actively pursue a nomination to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site at its regularly scheduled meeting on October 25, 2007; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that the Department of the Interior is requested to reopen the World Heritage nomination process that was closed under the previous administration; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of the Interior is requested to include Iolani Palace on the current U.S. Tentative List and subsequently in the nomination file that will be presented to UNESCO's World Heritage Centre for review; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Hawaii's congressional delegation urge the Department of the Interior to place Iolani Palace on the nomination list for World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the U.S., U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Princess Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa, and each member of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

Report Title: 

Iolani Palace; World Heritage Site