The Grassroots

Who are The Grassroots?

We, the Grassroots, are the people of Palau, both young and old, who share in the values and principles of our Palauan culture and extend our care to the welfare of our immediate and extended families, clans, and communities. We live in harmony with our natural environment, and we understand deeply that the more we care for our land and ocean, the more it provides for us. We, the Grassroots, are the heartbeat of our culture and the lifeblood of our economy.

What do The Grassroots stand for?

The Grassroots movement fights for fair access to economic opportunities, sustainable livelihoods, and quality of life for all—including supporting the vulnerable in the community so no one gets left behind. Grassroots ensures that the cost of living is affordable to all, not just for a few. We are committed to the preservation of our cultural heritage and the protection of our natural environment.

We advocate for the conscientious use of new technology that empowers all people. We are invested in the people's progress, not just corporate progress. We defend the welfare and rights of our diverse workforce community. We believe in fair access to business opportunities. We prioritize change for the better, not just change for the sake of change. We are proud to be Palauan and we protect our language, our culture, and unique identity because we know it makes us stronger.

Why are we running?

We are running because the people of Palau have asked us to run. The most challenging times are now; the people are hurting and reinventing the wheel is not the answer. At this critical time, we need experience and hard-earned wisdom, combined with innovation informed and guided by our strong cultural heritage. As we combat the pressing issues of climate change and economic uncertainty, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic, we must make difficult decisions to enhance our resilience as an island nation. We need to rebuild a solid foundation that fosters sustainable growth and development-- one that aligns with our culture and progresses at a responsible pace.

We believe Palau deserves a "caring" or "chubechub" government, able to deal with the hardships we face, and that prioritizes and acts urgently from listening to our community's concerns. We deserve a government that thinks things through and ensures policy actions are beneficial to all. We need an "chedechuul" government that is innovative and resourceful yet remains mindful of our identity as a people and our obligations to future generations. As a community, we need to be heard, not just summoned and we are running to restore that.

We believe this solid foundation can only be restored by working closely together with national, state and traditional leadership, and civil society guided by the principles of the 3 C's: Commitment, Consultation, and Collaboration. This requires patience and respect in order to better understand our options, build consensus, and mobilize support for an inclusive future.

What do we commit to?

As Grassroots, we must reclaim our voice in our government. We need to be heard, not just summoned.

As Grassroots, we must reaffirm our commitment to our unique identity as Palauans, our rich cultural heritage that recognizes all People of Palau and not just citizenry.

As Grassroots, we must renew our commitment to the protection of our natural environment that helps define our unique identity and is our "lukel a klengar".

As Grassroots, we must reassert our dedication to our sovereignty over our island home.

As Grassroots, we must restore quality of life for all the People of Palau.

As Grassroots, working together, we can make tomorrow better.