‘Lāhainā Rising’ to Screen During UNPFII 2026, Highlighting 2023 Maui Wildfires and Their Aftermath
Paele Kiakona, featured in the award-winning documentary Lāhainā Rising, stands at the forefront of Native Hawaiian leadership—uplifting Indigenous voices and advocating for the restoration, justice, and future of Lāhainā and all of Hawai’i.
Lāhainā’s story “through the fire”—illuminating Maui’s ongoing fight for land and water rights, housing equity, and community-centered decision-making.
Hawai‘i delegation brings the story of Lāhainā’s wildfire, Indigenous resilience, and human rights to the global stage
Lāhainā Rising offers an unflinching look at the lived experiences of Lahaina residents in the wake of disaster—centering Indigenous voices, frontline responders, and community leaders navigating recovery, displacement, and systemic inequities. The film received the “Made in Hawai‘i Award” at the 2025 Hawai‘i International Film Festival, and continues to serve as a powerful platform for impact, education, and global dialogue.
Held as an official side event at United Women in Faith, UN Plaza, the invitation-only screening on April 24 at 777 United Nations Plaza (2nd floor - Plaza Room) marks a powerful moment of global recognition—bringing the story of Lāhainā to the international stage at one of the world’s foremost gatherings of Indigenous leaders.
The Lāhainā Rising film team and Hawaiian community leaders featured in the film will travel from Hawai‘i to New York as part of the Nation of Hawai‘i (NOH) delegation, an accredited Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO). Together, they are bringing the voices, lived experiences, and cultural resilience of Lāhainā directly into the United Nations.
Among the delegation is community leader and frontline environmental policy advocate Paele Kiakona, alongside the film’s Executive Producer, Moses Goods—acclaimed Native Hawaiian actor and storyteller featured in Chief of War.
Through both the screening, formal interventions at the UN, and meetings with opinion-shapers, members of the delegation will elevate urgent issues at the heart of the film, including the human right to health in the aftermath of the Lahaina wildfires, the protection of water and land stewardship, and the broader importance of Indigenous sovereignty, cultural preservation, and human rights.
The UN side event screening is being organized by impact producers Keely Badger and Amber Bobin of 360 MEDIA, in collaboration with the broader Lāhainā Rising team, including director Matty Schweitzer and producers Blake Ramelb, De Andre Makakoa, and Phil Schlieder.
“This is about bringing the truth of Lāhainā to the world stage—carrying the voices of our people into spaces where decisions are made about our future,” said Paele Kiakona. “We stand in memory of those lost in the fires, and in protection of what remains. Nothing for Lāhainā without Lāhainā.”
“Our presence at the United Nations affirms the Nation of Hawai‘i’s rightful place amongst the international community and in the global Indigenous movement,” said Bumpy Kanahele (Uncle Bumpy), Head of State of the Nation of Hawai‘i. “As a people whose national sovereignty was never relinquished, we come with truth, ʻike, and with a call for justice, restoration, and recognition for our people and our lands.”
For more information about the documentary, and to arrange interviews/meetings with the film’s team, please visit www.lahainarising.com
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Media Contact:
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Keely H Badger
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