Papua New Guinea's Last Man Standing and Governor of New Ireland Province, Sir Julius Chan, is honoring the memory of the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare, on the third anniversary of his passing. In a statement reminiscent of General MacArthur, Sir Julius Chan reflected, "Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away...” “My friend, your role in bringing the country’s Independence dream to reality, remains etched in the hearts and minds of all Papua New Guineans. Your name will live on." Sir Julius urged all Papua New Guineans to emulate the dedication exemplified by Sir Michael and the other founding fathers towards the nation. "We joined hands together with one dream, one vision, and one mind to form a United Papua New Guinea." "Unity is what Sir Michael and all of us stood for at the tumultuous time.” “He was the captain and we all worked together for the good of the country; that is how history will always remember us." "Today more than ever before, Papua New Guineans need to unite with the same aspirations of nationhood to build a better Papua New Guinea not for ourselves but for our future generations.” “When we depart this world, we must leave behind a better PNG than when we inherited it," highlighting the importance of unity for the nation's future. Acknowledging the challenges faced by the nation, Sir Julius called upon the citizens to remain steadfast in their efforts towards progress. "Sons and daughters of this land, the journey travelled thus far has not been an easy one.” “Step by step, we are finding our place in the world.” “We have crossed many hurdles along the way, we have overcome and continue to rise up from the depths of despair.” “Let us strengthen our resolve to become a better society.” “Better for our family, better for our community, better for our Provinces, and better for our Nation.” “Believe we will get there, and we will." As Papua New Guinea remembers the legacy of Sir Michael Somare, the call for unity and dedication echoes across the nation, inspiring a commitment to building a brighter future for generations to come.