US$200,000 Supports Bloody Ridge Preservation
Prime Minister Matthew Wale has welcomed a US$200,000 commitment from the United States to help develop and preserve Bloody Ridge National Historical Park on Guadalcanal.
The funding was announced by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau during the 84th Guadalcanal Campaign of Battle of Bloody Ridge commemoration.
Wale thanked the US government and said the funding was important for protecting Solomon Islands’ wartime history.
“I want to appreciate the announcement by Deputy Secretary Landau of US$200,000,” Wale said.
He said Bloody Ridge was more than a tourism project and was an important place for remembrance, education and peace.
“Bloody Ridge is one of our government’s national flagship heritage projects,” he said.
Wale said the government wanted the site properly developed so young people could learn about the Second World War, researchers could study its history, and veterans’ families could visit and remember those who served.
He also said local communities could benefit from responsible tourism around the historic site.
Landau said the US funding would support improvements, including educational materials and making the site easier for visitors to understand and access.
“The one thing that we owe future generations is to preserve the past for them to continue to understand and explore,” Landau said.
He said the relationship between the United States and Solomon Islands was strengthened by the Guadalcanal Campaign during the Second World War.
Landau also warned that unexploded wartime weapons remain a danger around Bloody Ridge.
Culture and Tourism Minister James Bonuga said the government wanted Bloody Ridge to become an important national heritage and tourism attraction.
He said tourism could create opportunities for local communities while protecting the site’s history and dignity.
Bloody Ridge National Historical Park was declared in 2017. The government hopes it will become a place for remembrance, education, reconciliation and responsible tourism.
