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Gov calls for love and peace in families for Christmas

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga in his Christmas address Sunday night at the Fagatogo Pavilion during the first night of the 39th annual Holiday Music Festival hosted by the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture & Humanities and the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs. Tonight is the last night of the holiday event.  [photo: AF]First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga turns on the switch to light the official Christmas Tree of the Territory — at the Fagatogo Pavilion on Sunday, during the first night of the 39th annual Holiday Music Festival hosted by the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture & Humanities and the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs. Tonight is the last night of the holiday event. The public is invited to attend. [photo: AF]CCCAS Afono choir perform Sunday night at the Fagatogo Pavilion during the first night of the 39th annual Holiday Music Festival hosted by the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture & Humanities and the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs. Tonight is the last night of the holiday event.  [photo: AF]Fa’asao Marist High School choir perform Sunday night at the Fagatogo Pavilion during the first night of the 39th annual Holiday Music Festival hosted by the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture & Humanities and the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs. Tonight is the last night of the holiday event.  [photo: AF]
fili@samoanews.com

During this time of the year, as Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has called on residents of American Samoa to ensure that peace and harmony as well as love are the most important priorities in every local family.

The governor’s call was made during his annual Christmas address, delivered Sunday night, during the first night of the three-night of Christmas caroling and skits, of the 39th Holiday Music Festival hosted by the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture & Humanities and the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs.

Lolo said holidays are the time when the family becomes more important than ever because that is where love comes from, and that is also where peace and harmony come from. To him, Lolo says, it’s important to ensure that love and peace are a priority in family, because if the family lives in peace that means peace and harmony will also be in our villages.

And if the family lives in peace and is full of love that will also spread to churches, community and the government, he said, and stressed that love and peace first comes from within a family, which is important for future generations of American Samoa.

“In the spirit of Christmas, keep peace and love in a family and make them a priority,” Lolo said and wished American Samoa, as well as Toa o Samoa serving in the US Armed Forces around the world a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The annual Arts Council program ends tonight with 13 groups performing at the Fagatogo Pavilion, where Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga will offer closing remarks for the government, which will have next Monday off as the official Christmas Day holiday.

Meanwhile, the governor along with First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga and Lemanu will hold their annual Christmas visitation to the LBJ Medical Center this morning, followed by a visit to the Territorial Correctional Facility, where the Department of Human and Social Service will perform Christmas caroling.