KOROR, Palau – Preparations are underway for Palau’s upcoming Independence Day celebration, with a range of events scheduled in the weeks leading up to the holiday.

On September 29, the festivities will begin early with a cycling race, followed by a day market and a sailboat show in the morning under the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge. The afternoon will feature a speedboat racing competition in the same area.

The celebrations continue on September 30 with the Mechesil Belau Conference at Bai ra Chamayong. This one-day event, themed around health, will coincide with the Independence Day festivities. Attendees can visit booths offering healthy foods and free health check-ups. The event will also feature a performance by an Enka singer whose grandfather served as Postmaster during the Japanese administration in Palau. That evening, a state dinner hosted by Mechesil Belau will be held for officials and foreign guests.

Independence Day on October 1 will be marked by the Olchotel Belau Fair at the Capital Building grounds, with the day culminating in a fireworks show. (By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang)