By Tim Bryan & Stephanie Salazar

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: The national park had a presidential visit last Thursday…

The president of the French volcanic island of La Réunion, Robert Didier, visited Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Thursday afternoon, and marveled over similarities between Hawaii Island and his home – which is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

National Park officials tell us La Réunion President Robert Didier, and his delegation of Vice President Jean-Francois Sita, Film Commissioner Edy Payet and Public Information Officer Corinne Peyron-Beaulieu, explored the park as part of a four-day mission to “build a bridge” between La Réunion and Hawai‘i Island by promoting sister park status between Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Réunion National Park. Both national parks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and both are home to active volcanoes.

Both islands are located in the middle of vast oceans, and are situated over volcanic hot spots. La Réunion’s active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise, which means “Peak of the Furnace”, is listed among earth’s most active volcanoes and last erupted in 2010. It stands 8,632 feet above sea level, and like Kīlauea, it is a shield volcano.

President Didier and his delegation were also here to gather ideas on how to increase tourism to La Réunion by promoting its national park, which comprises 40 percent of the 970-square-mile island.