With more than 50,000 tourists visiting Rapa Nui (Easter Island) each year, the island faces great problems in preserving its past while at the same time preparing for the future. 'a pó - The Rapa Nui Youth Involvement Program was created to help the island face these problems with adequate resources.

 

The goals of this program are threefold:

 

1. To utilize archaeology as a foundation for education and opportunity within Rapa Nui's island community.
   


2. To promote awareness and expertise in archaeology and cultural conservation.


3. To document, study, and conserve the remarkable treasures of the past that remain on Rapa Nui today.

 

While the program was initiated with a strong focus in archaeology, efforts are underway to include training for local high school students in a variety of scientific disciplines.