PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On June 28th, 2022, the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) announced, with profound sadness, that Dr. Rufino Mauricio, has passed away. His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the FSM, has issued a proclamation in honor of the late former Director of the FSM Office of National Archives, Culture & Historic Preservation.
Dr. Mauricio obtained his doctorate in Anthropology from the University of Oregon, USA, in 1982. Dr. Mauricio served as the Executive Director for the Micronesian Endowment for Historic Preservation from 1994 to 2003; the FSM National Historic Preservation Officer for the Archives, Culture & Historic Preservation Unit from 1995 to 2003; the Assistant Secretary for the Division of Social Affairs from 2003 to 2008; the Secretary of the FSM Department of Education from 2011 to 2015; and the Director of the Office of National Archives, Culture & Historic Preservation from 2015 to 2022.
Dr. Mauricio’s lifetime of public service and exemplary and contributory achievements to the development of the Nation are voluminous and substantial. Among these many accomplishments, Dr. Mauricio played an elemental role throughout his life in protecting and promoting Nan Madol, which is legally protected by the FSM National Government and administered by the Office of
National Archives, Culture & Historic Preservation, and which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.
The FSM has been remarkably fortunate to have been blessed with Dr. Rufino Mauricio’s service to the Nation and its citizens, for he represented the virtues the Nation stands for and believes in. Dr. Mauricio spent every day of his life in service to others, spreading peace, friendship, cooperation, and love in our common humanity to everyone he encountered. Dr. Mauricio dedicated his expertise, with outstanding leadership and integrity, to the service of the FSM and its People. Dr. Mauricio will be remembered not only for his great accomplishments as a public servant but also
for his kindness to fellow citizens.
The Presidential Proclamation for the half-mast display of the FSM flag in honor of Dr. Mauricio may be found here: https://gov.fm/files/Announcements/PRESIDENTIAL_PROCLAMATION_for_Dr__Rufino_Mauricio.pdf
