Pacific leaders hope Washington embraces their priorities at first-ever DC summit
Honolulu, HAWAII — Pacific island leaders hope to get more support for their goals — particularly regarding climate change and economic diversification — at a summit in Washington, D.C., w

![This December 2014 file photo shows Ejit island in the Marshall Islands. At low tide people can walk back and forth to Majuro island. Climate change is threatening the existence of the country. Pacific island leaders hope to get more support for their goals — particularly regarding climate change and economic diversification — at a summit in Washington, D.C., with President Joe Biden at the end of this month. [Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat/2014] Ejit island in the Marshall Islands](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ejit_island.jpg?itok=N4XUWWB-)






![Ipuniuesea Eliapo-Unutoa, with the Health Department’s rheumatic heart disease program, speaking at yesterday’s news conference on the result of the recent free heart screening carried out by the Birmingham Young University RHD Relief Team. [photo: FS] Ipuniuesea Eliapo-Unutoa](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ipu_eliapo_unutoa.jpg?itok=oDyZjH65)
![[l-r] Dr. Ken Hon, Scientist-in-Charge of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Natalia Deligne, Volcanologist of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Chip McCreery, Director at Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and Dr. Laura Kong, Director International Tsunami Information Center at the start of yesterday’s news conference, with presentations by the visiting officials earthquakes, volcanos and tsunamis. [photo: FS] National Weather Service NEWS CONFERENCE](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/visiting_team.jpg?itok=r29nswoi)
