Solomon Islands Prime Minister Presented with Family Proclamation
Elder Dirk Smibert (second from right), Area Seventy, meets with Danny Philip (left), prime minister of the Solomon Islands.
“The family unit is representative of the unity needed in our nation.” —Danny Philip, prime minister of the Solomon Islands
The Church presented a copy of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” to the prime minister of the Solomon Islands, Danny Philip, in a brief ceremony on Friday, January 21, 2011.
Elder Dirk Smibert, Area Seventy in the Pacific Area, and other Church representatives met in the prime minister’s home and presented him with the proclamation as well as a statuette of a family. The 1995 proclamation, which describes the strong emphasis the Church places on family relationships, was created in the same year that the first sacrament meeting was held in the Solomon Islands.
In expressing his pleasure at receiving the items, the prime minister said, “The family unit is representative of the unity needed in our nation. This statuette will be a reminder that the family is the basis upon which to build a united and strong people.”
During his visit to the islands, where just a few hundred Church members reside, Elder Smibert expressed his appreciation at being able to meet with the prime minister. “As a Church, we are grateful for the work of the leaders of the various countries in the Pacific where the Church is located,” he said. “No matter what their political affiliations, these leaders work hard for the benefit of their nations, and they deserve our respect and appreciation.”
