Composed of 25 appointed volunteers from the community, including representatives from each county, the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission has been successful in recognizing this historic milestone in a way that respects the divergent views of our host culture while educating the public about what it means to be a state and creating the vision for Hawai'i for the next 50 years. All this while also realizing the fiscal constraints faced by state government.

Statehood is much more than an anniversary date on a calendar or a circle around the year 1959. It represents the long journey and shared struggle for recognition and civic rights.

As part of our educational efforts, the Commission has worked with Wai'anae High School's Searider Productions to assist in producing the 50 Voices of Statehood public service announcements that air weekly on radio and television, since August 2008. These vignettes have focused on people who experienced first-hand Hawai'i's struggle and transition to statehood, and allows them to share their perspective on how far we have come in just 50 years.

The commission is also displaying historical exhibits at the main airports throughout the state, the state Capitol and the Hawai'i State Library, detailing key dates and images from 1900 through 1959. Student essay contests were conducted on the Neighbor Islands and a statewide art contest will showcase student renderings of the meaning of statehood in the Department of Education's calendar for the upcoming school year. Hundreds of pieces of student artwork from around the country are being compiled into a mosaic mural to be displayed at the Honolulu International Airport beginning the first week in August.

On March 18, the commission hosted a special joint session of the state Legislature to commemorate the date in history when President Eisenhower signed the Hawai'i statehood bill. Again, continuing with the educational perspective, the commission created 100,000 maps for a walking tour of the Capital Cultural District following the joint session, featuring major historic landmarks surrounding the state Capitol. These maps and other statehood materials are in the hands of visitor industry organizations who have worked with the commission to drive tourism to Hawai'i this year.

Twenty events statewide have honored our 50th anniversary, including the Urasenke Foundation's Tea Ceremony for World Peace, the arrival of Hawai'i's namesake submarine, the USS Hawai'i, and the Honolulu-Hiroshima Sister City Celebration. Major events in each county will be held in August to further recognize this milestone in our state's history.

The commission's capstone event will be the New Horizons for the Next 50 Years Conference on Aug. 21 at the Hawai'i Convention Center. The conference will address topics germane to Hawai'i's future, including economic recovery and transformation, education for our future and clean energy, as well as ethnic and cultural discussions. Plenary sessions, keynote speakers, in-depth workshops and exhibit pavilions will drive the discussions, which will recognize Hawai'i's past but also solidify the vision for our future.

Local music and entertainment will be featured throughout the commemoration day, honoring the contributions of Hawai'i's entertainment industry over the past 50 years. The conference will conclude with a 1950s concert with The Platters, The Coasters and The Drifters, an exciting evening including complimentary pupus and beverages to culminate with a special statehood fireworks display.

From the outset of the commission's work, a guiding principal was that simply throwing parties to celebrate statehood would have been a waste of state and private funds and would have shown a complete lack of understanding of the crossroads we are at today.

After a comprehensive 18-month effort to honor Hawai'i, we feel stronger than ever that this educational component is important for today, and will lay a groundwork for us to define the Hawai'i of tomorrow.

Hawai'i should be the leader among all island communities on integrating core indigenous values for our land, sea, and air with new industries and the ability to modernize and be innovative without sacrificing the natural environment. This entails cooperation, partnerships, and communication among government, business, education, and tourism sectors. The educational focus taken by the commission has formed the platform for these discussions to take place.

The commission remains very proud of its work and the fact that we have remained above partisan politics, with continued respect for Hawai'i's complex and rich history.

Those involved will look back with pride and know that we provided our citizens with a clear picture of Hawai'i's past, present and a vision for the future. More important, the images, voices, and words will stand as a living memory of the special place we call home.

Kippen de Alba Chu is chairman of the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.