“We are that canary. But hopefully, that experience will send a very strong message that we might be on the front line today, but others will be on the front line next — and the next and the next.”
Tong compared Kiribati to a canary in a coal mine, warning that his nation's climate crisis was an early warning of what other countries would eventually face.
— Anote Tong, Kiribati
Source: Anote Tong, interview on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, 8 June 2014
More Proverbs from Kiribati
Do not follow the first breeze.
A caution against acting on a first impulse; wait and think before reacting.
Our culture and knowledge are our identity.
A people's customs and accumulated knowledge are what define who they are.
Respecting the guiding hand brings spiritual protection.
Honouring the guidance of elders and those who lead safeguards wellbeing.
The maintenance of wellbeing comes from just and fair decision-making.
A community stays healthy and at peace when its leaders decide matters justly and fairly.
The person is sacred.
Every individual carries an inherent dignity and worth that must be respected and protected.
Health, peace, and prosperity.
Kiribati's national motto, borne on the Coat of Arms, expressing the nation's guiding aspiration for its people.