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<div dir="ltr">Yadra Vinaka Seta and PDF community,</div>
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<div dir="ltr">Derrick and I join in the tributes being paid to Lai and express our sadness at his passing. While this is a loss for the Pacific Community, Lai was a good and faithful servant who left his mark wherever he went. We have much to be thankful
for in having as a colleague and friend. We know that he served well and is no longer in discomfort. </div>
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<div dir="ltr">With deep condolences. </div>
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<div dir="ltr">Ann Cheryl and Derrick</div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> PDFlist <pdflist-bounces@lists.pacificdisability.org> on behalf of Setareki Macanawai <Setareki.Macanawai@pacificdisability.org><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 26, 2023 11:05:18 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> PDFlist@lists.pacificdisability.org <pdflist@lists.pacificdisability.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [PDFlist] VALE: Mr Laisiasa Boginivalu Merumeru</font>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">Warm Pacific Greetings PDF Members, Family and Friends</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">It is with deep regret that I convey to you the untimely passing of an Associate Member, former independent Chairperson of the PDF OPD Fund Committee, great disability champion and very close friend, Mr Laisiasa Boginivalu Merumeru, fondly
known to many of us as Lai who passed away in his sleep at his residence on Friday, 22 September 2023. Mr Merumeru also served as Lecturer in special/inclusive education at the Lautoka Teachers College now part of the Fiji National University, Disability Coordination
Officer at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and Lecturer also in inclusive education at the University of the South Pacific. He also spent few years in Rarotonga, Cook Islands supporting their work on special/inclusive education.
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">Our disability movement in the Pacific have lost some gentle giants in recent years and Lai is certainly one of them. His intelligent, wise and strategic advice coupled with his big heart, pleasant personality and huge smiles/laughter
will be sorely missed. He committed himself in the last 2 decades to improving the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities in the Pacific. I thank Lai’s family for this wonderful gift to us and may his legacy continue to inspire us even more
towards making our Blue Pacific Continent more inclusive and equitable for all its citizens, including those of us with disabilities!</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">May his soul rest in peace!</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">So long Lai and I truly miss you!</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">Seta</p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Setareki S. Macanawai</span></b><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Chief Executive Officer</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Pacific Disability Forum</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Ground Floor, Kadavu House, Victoria Parade</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">GPO Box 18458, Suva, Fiji
</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Tel: +679 331 2008; +679 773 0200</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Mob: +679 992 1486; +679 708 2891</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Fax: +679 3310469</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Skype: setareki.macanawai</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Email:
</span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:Setareki.Macanawai@pacificdisability.org"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#0563C1">Setareki.Macanawai@pacificdisability.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Web:
</span><span style="color:black"><a href="http://www.pacificdisability.org/"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#0563C1">www.pacificdisability.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Facebook:
</span><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PacificDisabilityForum/"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#0563C1">Pacific Disability Forum</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Twitter: @pdfsec</span><span style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Organisation in special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Commission since 2012.</span></b><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Abadi Extra Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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