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During a U.N. Climate Change Conference session on the Pacific Islands, former President Barack Obama recited a Hawaiian proverb to stress the importance of uniting countries to mitigate the effects of climate change. “There’s an old Hawaiian proverb, ‘Pupukahi I Holomua.’ That’s roughly translated into ‘unite to move forward,’” he said Monday. “It’s a reminder that if you want to paddle a canoe, you better all be rowing in the same direction and at the same time. Every oar has to move in unison,” he said.