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American Samoa celebrate its 112th birthday

Governor Togiola Tulafono joined Federal Government and Pacific dignitaries and invited guests today to commemorate the 112th anniversary of the raising of the United States flag on Samoan soil at the opening of the 2012 Flag Day celebration at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tafuna.

In welcoming the Pacific island dignitaries, diplomatic corps, and U.S. Federal Government officials, which included --Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, Tuvalu Governor-General Sir Iakoba Taei Italeli, Tonga Crown Prince Tupouto’a ’Ulukalala ’Aho’eitu, Tokelau Titular Head – Ulu o Tokelau Aliki Faipule Kerisiano Kalolo, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior for Insular Areas Anthony Babauta, Interior Director of Insular Affairs Nikolao Pula, and American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega Eni-- Governor Togiola gave his final Flag Day Address to the people of American Samoa, where he touched on why the American Samoa forefathers thought to keep the agreement of cession with the United States in “an unorganized, unincorporated fashion.” Governor Togiola said “perhaps that is why later generations of Samoans never sought to change the unorganized, unincorporated status.” (Read entire Flag Day Address here)