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DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM (DBEDT)MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION ON THE 13TH FESTIVAL OF
PACIFIC ARTS & CULTURE (FESTPAC) MEETING
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 AT 8:30 AM
HAWAI‘I STATE CAPITOLSENATE CAUCUS ROOM, CHAMBER LEVEL
415 S. BERETAINA STREETHONOLULU, HAWAIʻI 96813
Commission Members Present were:
J. Kalani English, Chair
Māpuana de Silva
Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā
Misty Kela‘i
Dennis Ling-

Monte McComber
Richard Onishi-

Senate President’s Designee
Community Member At-Large
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority Designee
City & County of Honolulu Designee
Department of Business, Economic Development &Tourism (DBEDT)
Governor’s Designee
House Speaker’s Designee

Jacob Aki
Amber Bixel
Jesse Broder Van Dyke
John De Freies
Linsin-Dongi
T. Ilihia Gionson
Amy HammondJames Huang
Melanie Ide
Jonathan Johnson
Noelani Kamalu
Vicky Holt Takamine
Kang-Ning Lee
Honey Maltin-Wisot
Marques Marzan
Ngahiraka Mason
June Matsumoto
Michi Moore
Harinani Kalohelani Orme
Michael Pili Pang
Adrian Kamelii
Cure Sulunga
Tracy Rector-

Senator English’s Office
Bishop Museum
Senate Communications
Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NHHA)
Taiwan Council of Indigenous Peoples
Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NHHA)King Kamehameha Celebration Commission
Taipei Economic & Cultural Office (TECO)
Bishop Museum
Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture & the Arts
Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS)PA‘I Foundation
Taiwan Council of Indigenous Peoples
Strategies 360
Bishop Museum
Independent Consultant
Pacific Island Institute (PII)
Senate Communications
ArtistPA‘I Foundation
Hawaiian Air
Senate Communications
Nia Tero

Guests:Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 2 of 11

Jay Rojas
Verna Takashima
Kanoe Takitani-Puahi
Sayun-Tosu
Chris Walker
Kaiwi Yoon-

PA‘I Foundation
Artist/Cultural Practitioner
Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (MOCA
Taiwan Council of Indigenous Peoples
Nia Tero
Bishop Museum

Margaret Ahn-

Attorney General’s Office

Marlene Hiraoka
Jamie Lum
Selma Malcolm

-

DBEDT
DBEDT
DBEDT

-

Community Member At-Large
Office of Hawaiian Affairs

Staff:

Apologies:
Snowbird Bento
Mehanaokalā Hind
CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order by Chair English on Thursday, February 13, 2020, at 8:37 a.m.,
who welcomed everyone present.
APPROVAL OF JANUARY 29, 2020 MEETING MINUTES:
Minutes of the meeting held on January 29, 2020, were approved unamended on a motion by Mr.
Ka‘anā‘anā, and seconded by Ms. Kela‘i.
Motion was unanimously approved.
OLD BUSINESS:
A. DBEDT Report:
PA‘I Foundation Contract:
Mr. Ling indicated that Ms. Takamine may sign the acknowledgment letter relating toPA‘I Foundation (PA‘I) electing to terminate the contract with DBEDT.
Chair English asked about the Logistics Coordinator and Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā reported thatthey are working with DBEDT. His procurement team is currently reviewing the draft
Request for Proposal (RFP).

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 3 of 11

B. Artistic Director’s Report:
Due to Ms. Bento’s absence, portions of the Artistic Director’s Report are included with
the Administration Director’s Report.
C. Administration Director’s Report:
Mr. McComber distributed a printed report, a delegation listing, and delegations for
Artistic Programming.
Mr. McComber reported that Creative New Zealand (CNZ) is requesting an invoice from
DBEDT that includes information related to housing and meal plans. He provided
guidance regarding how the invoice should be prepared. Confirmation was made by
DBEDT that invoicing will be for the full amount including the $25 deposit fee perperson. DBEDT will draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CNZ.
Mr. McComber reported that the payment to UH for lodging and meals will be paid by
PA‘I from the $611,000 that DBEDT paid PA‘I. PA‘I will issue a check payable to the
University of Hawaiʻi (UH) for $595,656.01 which will be for housing and meal plan
costs. The difference of $15,243.99 will cover PA‘I expenses such as salaries, insurance,
rent, and software license. Ms. Ahn commented that during a meeting with PA‘I, theyagreed to issue an invoice to DBEDT, however, acknowledged that the amount may notnecessarily total $15,243.99 because PA‘I was aware, as of mid-January, about theCommission’s decision to amend PA‘I’s contract with DBEDT to include just Ms.
Takamine’s services, after which PA‘I elected to terminate the contract. Ms. Takamineof PA‘I reported that the organization is in the process of reconciling their records. Mr.
Ka‘anā‘anā requested for clarification that the outstanding amount due to PA‘I is for
January 2020, a portion of February and other expenses.
Mr. McComber reported that 1,570 beds have been reserved at UH including 1,800 meals(two per day). The total cost for rooms and meals is $1,318,356. With the advancepayment DBEDT has already made to UH plus the payment coming from PAʻI, there will
be a balance of $464,600 owed to UH by DBEDT which is due on February 21, 2020.
Mr. McComber asked which meals will be covered under the agreement with UH. Ms.
Matsumoto confirmed that breakfast and dinner are meals that are included in thearrangement with UH. Ms. Takamine indicated that delegates will be returning to theirdorms after each day’s events and that the venues should be covering lunches rather thandinners. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā confirmed that the Festival Village will be open daily from10:00 am to 5:00 PM with satellite venues in the evening. He expressed that theConvention Center could cover dinner costs at the close of each day. Chair English
requested that meal plans be reviewed and discussed again.
Regarding the $25 refundable security deposit, Mr. McComber stated that theCommission needs to revisit the process of how delegations will be paying this amount.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 4 of 11

He would like to develop a system with heads of delegations so that individual payments
will not be made. Ms. Takamine reported that as of January 22, there are 1,029
participating delegates representing 14 countries who have confirmed their participation.
DBEDT was asked for a balance of funds which will be sent via email to theCommissioners. The remaining funds will be used to pay for housing and the balance
owed to PA‘I. DBEDT reported that no additional expenditures have been incurred since
the last financial report was prepared and given to the Commission at the January 29
meeting.
Ms. Kela‘i reiterated that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant was written
for the Festival Village to be held at a City park. Ms. Takamine expressed that she willneed to administer the grant funds from the NEA and State Foundation on Culture andthe Arts. Ms. Kela‘i and Ms. Takamine will discuss separately related to utilizing the
NEA grant.
Mr. McComber also reported that he received an email from Professor Judy Mitoma.
Professor Mitoma is retired from UCLA. Her CV and bio were distributed toCommissioners which notes that she has extensive experience organizing and executing
festivals. Based upon her CV and summary, she appears to have the capacity, networkand skills to help with FESTPAC planning. She is willing to volunteer her time but isrequesting an office space. Mr. McComber indicated that Kamehameha Schools might beable to provide office space. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā stated that the proposal is fine provided
Professor Mitoma is aware that she will not be paid for her services. Chair English asked
Mr. McComber to follow up and obtain more clarification.
Mr. McComber reported that communication to heads of delegations was made on
February 6. The letter provided information regarding the new organizational structureand how communication between Hawaiʻi and heads of delegations should be made. He
will continue to update the listing of heads of delegations. He will arrange skype
meetings with all heads of delegation or cultural focal points.
Mr. McComber noted that RSVPs from delegations are being received regarding theirinterest in specific festival activities. He indicated that the total Festival programming
may change based upon interests of delegates. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā requested that Mr.
McComber share delegate information with DBEDT. He reiterated that all requests mustgo through the heads of delegation and no one should be accepting individual requests.
All delegates must be vetted, approved and sanctioned as official delegates by their headsof delegation. Ms. Takamine asked whether this rule applies to vendors and it wasdetermined that vendor inquiries are a separate matter.
Mr. McComber reported that an advanced communication letter announcing Chair
English’s visit to Samoa was sent. The Chair’s Chief-of-Staff is coordinating meetings
for him such as with the Arts Council.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 5 of 11

Mr. McComber received an inquiry from Guam regarding sustainability practices that are
being used so that FESTPAC is an eco-friendly event in Hawaiʻi. This point is important
to Guam because some of their funding is from funders who require them to stipulate
sustainability practices that are being followed during the Festival. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anāreported that the Hawaiʻi Convention Center is certified with a Gold level LEED
certification. The Center will also be participating in the Hawaiʻi Green Businessprogram which is part of DBEDT.
Guam is bringing their master blacksmith to the Festival. Ms. Kela‘i said there is noroom in the Festival Village for what Guam would like to do so they are looking at otherpossible locations.
Ms. de Silva said if Guam is allowed to bring their blacksmith, we will need toaccommodate everyone who submits similar requests. Ms. de Silva expressed that theoriginal intent of the Festival was because elders wanted to preserve traditional cultural
practices that were becoming less of an interest to young people. Chair English requested
that Mr. McComber send a reply to Guam welcoming their blacksmith’s participation
provided they are able to find their own demonstration space and that they understand it
will be separate from the Festival Village.
Mr. McComber also reported that a confirmation was received from the Kingdom of
Tonga that their 80 delegates will arrive in Hawaiʻi on June 9, 2020.
Mr. McComber indicated that delegations currently have FESTPAC information that waspresented at the 29th Meeting of the Council of Pacific Arts and Culture (CPAC29). He
mentioned that Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā will be developing and finalizing a comprehensive
newsletter with updated information to be shared with the delegations.
Mr. McComber also reported that he received an inquiry from Dr. Theodore Gonsalves of
the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Dr. Gonsalves expressedinterest in attending and recording the Festival. There are issues and questions related tointellectual property (IP) matters that need to be discussed with Ms. Kuiniselani TagoElisara regarding what may be permissible according to the Pacific Community (SPC).
Mr. McComber made reference to the conference proposals that have been received.
Regarding the Youth Ambassador Program, he indicated that Kamehameha Schools
agreed to host one day of the conference and that Kaimuki High School is willing to hostthe second day of the two-day event. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā commented that there will be
numerous requests received, however, he encouraged Commissioners to focus on the core
Festival program. Ms. de Silva and Ms. Kela‘i agreed that these side events can be put
into some informational collateral piece and not be included in the official Festival
program. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā stressed that the Commission will need to agree on a process todetermine which events get included.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 6 of 11

Mr. McComber also informed Commissioners that the Pan Pacific Festival is being held
during FESTPAC. He posed a question as to whether there is a need to coordinate with
the Pan Pacific Festival, in some way, or whether any funding requests might beconsidered.
D. Festival Coordination Directors Report:
Chair English reported that he and Representative Onishi have been reaching out topotential funders. These contacts are reporting their requests to their respective boards
and CEOs. The Chair reported that the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) approved$500,000 in support of FESTPAC.
The Chair also reported that he has received visits by government officials such as theConsul General of the Republic of Palau who reported that the Queen of Palau will beattending FESTPAC.
Representative Onishi reported that he met with the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻiwhich is willing to assist in several ways: (1) provide omiyage (gift) package for theheads of delegations; (2) possibly provide food at some events; (3) ground transportation
to some events; (4) will ask members whether performances can be held at their business– e.g. Center Stage at Ala Moana Center; (5) willing to ask members for hospitality
packages for delegates; and (6) assist with fundraising. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā said, in terms oftiming, they would like to receive gifts on Wednesday before the end of the Festival. For
the Heads of delegations, gifts will be presented at the opening of the Festival. Mr.
Ka‘anā‘anā informed the commissioners that Version 3 of the Sponsorship Package isavailable for use.
Representative Onishi also met with Hawaiian Electric, and they are interested insupporting the Festival.
E. Marketing and Sponsorships Director’s Report:
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā asked that the Strategies 360 Report be sent to Commissioners by
DBEDT.
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā expressed thanks to Commissioner Hind for participating in an interview
with Meli Television and Chair English with Hawaiʻi Public Radio. He confirmed that apress conference will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Senate Chambers on February 20, 2020,
following the Commission meeting. Speakers will include Chair English, Mr. Chris
Tatum who will announce HTA’s sponsorship, and Ms. Bento who will share her
experiences about the Festival. He presented two posters that will be used as visuals at
the press conference on each side of the speaker.
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā also reported that social media metrics are increasing. For the purposesof branding and coordination, a letterhead was developed and will be considered theMinutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 7 of 11

official letterhead for all communication. This is important for delegations as they apply
for visas since the U.S. State Department looks for consistency between the invitation
letter and Hawaiʻi’s communication with them.
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā also presented a framework for the newsletter that will be developed andused to communicate information and updates about the Festival. He advised that there
needs to be a process for submissions and that submissions be sent to him by 5:00 p.m.
on Monday of each week. A draft will be reviewed and approved by the Commissioners
at the weekly meeting and the final version will be disseminated on Fridays.
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā also requested that Version 3 of the Sponsorship Package be sent tocommissioners by DBEDT. The sponsorship deck will reflect new sponsors as they are
confirmed.
F. Venues/Facilities Director Report:
Mr. Ling stated that he did not have any other updates, however, expressed the need forclarification regarding roles and responsibilities of commissioners which would be
discussed under “New Business.”
G. Support Services Director Report:
Ms. Kela‘i reported that she, Chair English and Mr. McComber made a presentation
about FESTPAC to Mayor Caldwell’s sub-cabinet, which is comprised of the Deputy
Managing Director and all Public Information Officers (PIO) from each City department.
Chair English thanked Ms. Kela‘i and Ms. Kanoe Takitani-Puahi for organizing a great
meeting. He stated that Mayor Caldwell expressed strong support of the Festival.
Ms. Kela‘i requested guidance regarding deadlines/cut offs for finances and delegate
registration. This information is important to have in order to plan and develop theFestival Village concept. Chair English stated that, at this point, no funding for theFestival Village has been secured. From a financial perspective, the Village might need
to be moved inside the Convention Center. Ms. Kela‘i expressed that she would needapproximately $500,000 to organize the Festival Village on the Ala Wai Promenade.
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā believes that some of the costs of the Village can be covered if theVillage is moved into the Convention Center. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā expressed that there is aduality regarding the Festival in terms of respecting traditional culture as well as
accepting the modernity of the times. The Festival would be a good opportunity tobalance traditional cultural values and customs with modernization.
Ms. de Silva asked for clarification regarding what the $500,000 would be used for.
Chair English expressed that the Village is what and how Hawaiʻi decides on developing
it. Ms. Takitani-Puahi said they would like to work with community organizations such

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 8 of 11

as Hoʻolani Hale to build and dismantle the hale which would later be repurposed inother ways.
Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā mentioned that the Festival Village would need to be up from Sunday toSaturday. Discussion was held regarding venue options for carvers such as Bishop
Museum, Convention Center Promenade, etc. Bishop Museum representatives expressedthat they are developing a budget although Chair English indicated that there are
currently no funds available for carvers to be located at the Bishop Museum fordemonstrations, unless the Museum can cover the costs.
More discussion was held regarding the option of moving the Festival Village into the
Exhibit Halls at the Convention Center. Another option expressed by Ms. de Silva was tohave the individual countries located on the promenade. Ms. Takitani-Puahi shared that
there could be different ways to create the hale. Ms. Takamine commented that there isno need to create 28 country hale at the Convention Center but rather to place delegations
at locations such as the Polynesian Cultural Center, Bishop Museum and the HawaiʻiState Art Museum.
Chair English questioned what the project could afford with 16 weeks left before the startof FESTPAC. Mr. Ka‘anā‘anā suggested that the Festival Village be located in theConvention Center Exhibit Halls. He commented that the practitioners could also
conduct programming on the promenade. Ms. Kela‘i expressed that she is opposed tomoving the Festival Village within the Convention Center’s Exhibit Halls. Ms. TakitaniPuahi will redo proposals and work within the $75,000 budget of the NEA grant. She
will present options to consider at the next meeting.
Ms. de Silva reminded members that most practitioners would demonstrate and sellgoods in the marketplace, therefore, they would require a safe place where transactions
can be made. It does not appear to be feasible to separate the demonstrations from theretail area and if that decision is made, participating delegations will need to be informed.
H. Update on Delegate Housing and Transportation:
Ms. Matsumoto of the Pacific Islands Institute (PII) reported that she will be receiving
floor plans from the UH soon and will share the information with Ms. Hind. This
information would need to be sent to the delegations for their information.
Ms. Matsumoto also reported that currently, they are still holding 200 beds at the East
West Center which would be a total cost of $117,339. She will continue to hold thesebeds until February 28, 2020.
A question was asked about the total cost of ground transportation, and Ms. Matsumoto
estimated those costs would total $350,000 which includes airport transfers but does notinclude transporting baggage. There is a need to confirm number and size of baggage

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 9 of 11

from each delegation. Regarding vehicle rentals for heads of delegations, the Chair has
been in discussions with rental car agencies and is hoping that this could be an in-kind
donation on their part.
Housing for heads of delegations is currently being held at the Ala Moana Hotel. The
hotel would like to enter into a contract as soon as possible, however the Commission
needs to confirm the final room count.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Lieutenant Governor Josh Green:
Chair English introduced Lieutenant Governor (LG) Josh Green and expressed
appreciation to LG Green for agreeing to assist with organizing a medical team to be on
duty at the University of Hawaiʻi dormitories during the Festival.
The LG indicated that he will assist and coordinate with the Hawaiʻi Health Core whowill be volunteering, pro bono, to assist with medical needs of delegates. The LG
mentioned that they are able to offer additional support, as needed, such as securing anurse practitioner at some events. The LG also indicated that the team will include
Polynesian nurses and physicians, however, he would appreciate receiving specifications
and more information from the Commission.
The LG also stated that the Hawaiʻi Health Core is being funded by the Queens Medical
Center who also paid for personnel participating in medical missions abroad. The LG
indicated that his team may also engage American Medical Response (AMR) in the event
patients need to be transported to medical facilities.
Representative Onishi also asked the LG if the John A. Burns School of Medicine(JABSOM) could be involved, too. The LG stated that JABSOM’s Home Project, which
includes medical students involved in community outreach, will be assisting with
FESTPAC and includes traditional healing as part of their training and practices. He will
be meeting with JABSOM on February 21, 2020, to discuss the opportunity to volunteer
at FESTPAC.
Chair English thanked the LG for attending the Commission meeting. Ms. Kela‘i asked
the LG to join her committee. He said that either he or his Chief-of-Staff will attend hercommittee meetings.
B. Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP), Taiwan:
Representatives from CIP were introduced and provided updated information regarding
their support of FESTPAC. They expressed appreciation to Chair English, on behalf of
their Minister, for supporting Taiwan’s participation.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 10 of 11

CIP stated that a letter from their Minister confirming sponsorship and funding for 30
delegates from each of Taiwan’s Pacific allies which includes the Republic of Palau, theRepublic of Nauru, the Republic of Marshall Islands and Tuvalu. CIP’s support totals$430,000, including airfares. In addition, CIP will be scheduling two major events: (1)demonstration by 26 carvers, which will take place prior to FESTPAC; and (2) an
Austronesian Forum, which will take place simultaneously to FESTPAC. They would
like to incorporate their programs into the official FESTPAC program. Taiwan will also
be leading a government delegation of 60 individuals to Hawaiʻi.
Chair English distributed a copy of the Minister’s letter to the Commissioners andthanked CIP for their partnership. Their support guarantees those countries’ participation
and will greatly assist in covering expenses. Mr. McComber asked whether housing was
included in their funding support, and CIP confirmed that it is. CIP clarified that they will
be making their own housing arrangements for the participants in their other programs.
C. Nia Tero Foundation:
Chair English introduced representatives of the Nia Tero Foundation who expressed their
excitement in bringing the Pacific People’s Forum (PPF) to Hawaiʻi to be held parallel to
FESTPAC. They would like to include story tellers and cultural practitioners who are notpart of delegations to participate in FESTPAC. The organization has hosted events in
New Zealand, Vanuatu and in Hawaiʻi, the outcomes of which will culminate at the PPF
in June 2020. They also will be developing messaging that will be shared around thePacific Rim during an upcoming voyage. They are committed to working alongside
indigenous peoples from Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia together during FESTPAC
as part of the PPF.
D. Aloha Plus Challenge
The organization submitted a letter requesting to partner on sustainable development
goals. The Chair suggested that they be invited to the next meeting and provide more
information to the Commission.
E. New Business Items Listed on Agenda:
New Business Items: (1) Roles and Responsibilities of Commissioners; (2) Head ofDelegation for Hawaiʻi Delegation; and (3) Festival Director that were listed on the
February 13, 2020, meeting agenda will be deferred until the next meeting.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Chair English invited anyone from the public to testify. There were no individuals from thepublic who provided testimony.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Capitol, Senate Chamber, Chamber Level
415 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96813
Page 11 of 11

DATE OF NEXT MEETINGThe next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 20, 2020, at 8:30 a.m., at the HawaiʻiState Capitol, Senate Caucus Room, Chamber Level.
ADJOURNMENT:The Meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,_________________________________
Senator J. Kalani English
Chair________________________
Date