“I know that in the past there was a lot of focus on the polar bears. In my attempt to get attention on our own situation, I draw a comparison that what happens to the polar bears will also be happening to us in our part of the world.”
Tong compared the plight of his people to that of polar bears, a more familiar symbol of climate change in Western media, to draw attention to the human cost of rising seas in the Pacific.
— Anote Tong, Kiribati
Source: Anote Tong, quoted in Climate Home News, "Kiribati president: My people are the polar bears of the Pacific" (23 September 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.