Easter Island Moai Presented by President Lagos is Unveiled in Singapore

A Moai from Easter Island now stands in front of the APEC Secretariat building in Singapore as a symbol of the community spirit in the APEC Region.

Presented to the Secretariat by President Ricardo Lagos on behalf of the people of Chile in May, the Moai was unveiled this afternoon by APEC Secretariat Executive Director, Ambassador Mario Artaza.

"The Moai represents the spirit of APEC that is dedicated to promoting the establishment of a new community in the region," Ambassador Artaza said at the unveiling ceremony.

"That is why we think that it is so appropriate that this Moai should be placed at the door of our Secretariat, as a guardian of our commitments and objectives.

"The currents of the Pacific Ocean helped the Polynesians to arrive in Eastern Island in the distant past. Today, the currents of trade bring Chilean products to distant shores in the Asia Pacific region.

"The APEC Secretariat expresses its gratitude to President Lagos and the people of Chile for this gift that now stands proudly in front of the APEC Secretariat."

In his visit to Singapore and the APEC Secretariat earlier in the year President Lagos also emphasized the growing sense of regional community in developing the theme of the 2004 APEC Year hosted by Chile of 'One Community, Our Future.'

"We wanted to underline the cultural, social, political and different developments that exist among the various economies. Nevertheless, through the Pacific Basin we thought that there was just one community where everybody is committed to some particular goals and therefore through that community, it was possible to build a better future for all of us.

Ambassador Mario Artaza is the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat in Singapore for the 2004 APEC Year. Following the successful conclusion of the Chile APEC Year Ambassador Artaza will return to Santiago in January.

The APEC Secretariat serves as the core organizational mechanism of the APEC Process by facilitating meetings, providing technical support and information services to APEC Members and fora.

Speech by Ambassador Mario Artaza, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat

Speech by Ambassador Angel Flisfisch, Chile's Ambassador to Singapore