Koani Foundation Director First Hawaiian To Achieve This Distinction
H.E. Leon Kaulahao Siu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, and a Koani Foundation director, recently learned he had been nominated for the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
He is believed to be the first Hawaiian ever to have attained this distinction.
Minister Siu’s nomination is shared with his collaborator, Prof Dr. (h.c.) Mr. Mehmet Şükrü Güzel a scholar of international affairs from Turkey, who resides in Geneva, Switzerland.
Their nomination is for their effort to peacefully resolve the West Papua conflict with Indonesia by proving that the solution to securing peace and security in West Papua lies within the policies and measures already enacted by the United Nations.
Mr. Siu and Mr. Güzel met several years ago at the UN headquarters in Geneva as they were advocating for independence for respective captured nations — Mr. Siu for Hawai`i and Alaska (claimed by the United States) and Mr. Guzel for the Mapuché (claimed by Chile and Argentina).
Through the efforts of Minister Siu and others, the case for the reinstatement of the Hawaiian Kingdom as a sovereign, independent country is gaining traction in the international arena as more people become aware of the circumstances that led to the present wrongful occupation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States. As a result, key members of the international community are indicating a willingness to assist in the cause to liberate Hawai`i.
“I am both thrilled and humbled to share this important honor with my colleague,” remarked Minister Siu. “The efforts to free West Papua can and should be directly applied to encourage the United States to end its prolonged occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The time has arrived for a Free Hawai`i.”
Leon Siu was born in 1948 in the Hawaiian Islands. He was educated in the fine arts and is an accomplished composer, musician, artist, educator and diplomat. In 1996 he repatriated to the Hawaiian Kingdom. Since the year 2000, Mr. Siu has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ke Aupuni O Hawai`i — the Hawaiian Kingdom — and has traveled extensively in that capacity.
