”I’m in talks with Multicultural Aoraki. I want to bring rangatahi [young people] together and work through it.” She hopes to have the inaugural meeting in the next few months and engage people in conversation about race relations. Nora said her race unity speech came from a different angle to the other contestants. “I had a different take because I was an Irish immigrant when we moved here when I was seven. “I looked like a New Zealander and was accepted. I am seen to be more Kiwi than that of a third generation Pakistani-New Zealander who was born in, and grew up in Wellington, paid taxes for years and never left the country. ”
Press Release – New Zealand Police
Be the change, don’t sit back and wait for the Government to fix race relations in Aotearoa, was the message from Lucia-Tui Bernards, a Year 12 student from Tawa College who today won this year’s Race Unity Speech Awards.
In an inspiring and heartfelt speech, Lucia-Tui called for all secondary schools to have a race relations strategy, as well as a race relations youth council to ensure the voices of ethnic minorities are heard.
Race relations youth ambassadors would suggest policies to decision-makers and government agencies from a youth perspective.
Chief judge NZ Police Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha says Lucia-Tui’s speech was fantastic.
Be the change, don't sit back and wait for the Government to fix race relations in Aotearoa, was the message from Lucia-Tui Bernards, a Year 12 student.
Chief judge NZ Police Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha, said Lucia’s speech was fantastic. Haumaha had been involved with the Race Unity Speech Awards since 2008. “I am totally inspired by what I’ve heard over the years. “If people understand diversity, then they understand what unity means,” he said. “There is now more understanding of the hopes and the aspirations of young people.” Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities and Minister for Youth Priyanca Radhakrishnan said all six finalists spoke with eloquence and confidence about their experiences, “about where we are today, and where we need to get to”.