The Easter Island Foundation (EIF) is a public 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
registered in California. Established in 1989, the foundation supports the preservation of
Rapa Nui
Easter Island (, ; , ) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, ...
(
Easter Island
Easter Island (, ; , ) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, ...
) heritage and other
Polynesian islands and culture, primarily through educational initiatives. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprising professionals from various fields, including anthropology, art, education, information technology, management, and fundraising, all of whom share an interest in the history and culture of Rapa Nui and other Polynesian islands.
Mission
Easter Island, located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean between Tahiti and South America, is known for its significant archaeological sites, many of which have been the subject of international scientific research. Despite ongoing studies, numerous aspects of the island's past remain unresolved. In recent years, increased tourism, development, and limited infrastructure have posed challenges to the preservation of its cultural and archaeological heritage.
Objectives
* To promote an interest in research on
Easter Island
Easter Island (, ; , ) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, ...
and other
Pacific islands
The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of several ...
by anthropologists, archaeologists, linguists, environmentalists, and members of other scientific, historical, and cultural disciplines.
* To work toward the conservation and preservation of Easter Island's cultural heritage and environmental character as well as historic sites and monuments in Polynesia.
* To inform and educate local, national, and international groups and communities in addition to the general public with regard to Easter Island's unique heritage and priceless monumental treasures.
* To facilitate communication about Easter Island and other Pacific islands among scientific disciplines, historians, and other interested parties through publication of journals, books, guides, and other media-related sources and conferences.
* To develop an endowment fund through investments, bequests, corporate and Easter Island Foundation contributions, and other related sources — to provide a pool of financial resources for the support of the Foundation's programs.
* To help support the
William Mulloy Library for the study of Easter Island and various related disciplines, in association with the island's Museo Antropológico Padre Sebastián Englert.
* To provide a scholarship program for promising Rapa Nui secondary and college students to ensure them an opportunity for advanced academic studies.
* To encourage economic development activities on Easter Island that will benefit the Rapa Nui and that will honor and maintain the cultural and environmental character of the island.
Activities
The EIF helps fund archaeological research on Rapa Nui and other Polynesian islands, and provides Rapa Nui students with scholarships for higher education. The EIF also sponsors conferences about Rapa Nui and Polynesia.
See also
*
History of Easter Island
Geologically one of the youngest inhabited territories on Earth, Easter Island (also called Rapa Nui), located in the mid-Pacific Ocean, was, for most of its history, one of the most isolated. Its inhabitants, the Rapa Nui, have endured famines, ...
References
External links
Easter Island Foundation
William Mulloy Library
Father Sebastian Englert Anthropology MuseumFonck Museum
{{Authority control
Easter Island
Nature conservation organizations based in the United States
Environmental organizations established in 1989
Organizations established in 1989
1989 establishments in Oceania
1989 establishments in Chile