2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

25100005D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 435

Offered January 8, 2025

Prefiled January 3, 2025

Designating the first Monday in March, in 2025 and in each succeeding year, as Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day in Virginia.

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Patrons—Feggans and Convirs-Fowler

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Committee Referral Pending

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WHEREAS, as one of the first islands settled by humans in the Pacific Ocean, Guam has played an important role in the history and development of the region while cultivating a vibrant culture that is celebrated by members of the Guamanian diaspora all over the world; and

WHEREAS, Guam was first discovered by Europeans on March 6, 1521, when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under a Spanish flag, sighted the island during his circumnavigation of the globe; and

WHEREAS, Guam was subsequently colonized by Spain, and the Indigenous population became widely known as Chamorros during the long period of Spanish rule; and

WHEREAS, while the Chamorro people remain the largest ethnic group on the island, Guam has become a vibrant melting pot with influences from Spanish, Latin American, and other Asian and Pacific Islander cultures; and

WHEREAS, now an unincorporated territory of the United States, Guam plays an essential role in regional maritime trade and is home to several important American military bases; and

WHEREAS, Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day provides an opportunity for people of Chamorro descent and all members of the Guamanian community around the world to reconnect with their rich culture and heritage through celebrations that embody the Chamorro values of respect, community, reciprocity, and love; and

WHEREAS, Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day, which represents the start of Guam History and Heritage Month, also known as Mes Chamoru, is a time for enjoying Guamanian cuisine and customs, along with traditional songs, dances, stories, and historical interpretation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate the first Monday in March, in 2025 and in each succeeding year, as Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to representatives of the Guamanian community so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this day on the General Assembly's website.