Speech delivered by Elizabeth Rose, Secretary General, NZ National Commission for UNESCO at the opening of the "Looking Beyond Disaster UNESCO International Youth Forum", at Rehua Marae, Christchurch on the 9 December 2012
Tena koutou, tena koutou tena tatou katoa
Greetings, greetings to you all gathered here today.
It is a very great pleasure for me to be here in Christchurch this morning and to represent the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO at the opening of Looking Beyond Disaster: the UNESCO Youth Forum 2011. A very big thank you first and foremost to the Rehua Marae for hosting this opening powhiri. Over 80 young people from 25 countries of the Asia and Pacific region are present in this room today , including many young people from Christchurch, the courageous and resilient city which is our host city for this event.
I would like to extend the warmest of welcomes to those of you who are visitors to Aotearoa New Zealand. I know how hard many of you have worked to find the ways and means to come here. I want you to know how much we appreciate the active commitment you have made to this event and to making a contribution to the Forum’s objectives:
· The creation of an international network of young people across Asia and the Pacific sharing experience and exchanging ideas on disaster and community
· The design of international youth projects for implementation in different countries
· And the development of recommendations to governments, UNESCO and other bodies on youth resilience ,strategies for rebuilding communities and disaster response .
And equally I would like to welcome the young Cantabrians who are taking part in this Forum. The forum had its genesis in an event which the National Commission funded earlier this year- the Youth Voices for Christchurch Challenge when many who are here today, the emerging young leaders, of Canterbury came together to outline your vision and the potential for the rebuild of Christchurch . At the conclusion of that event the participants presented a capability statement to a selection of key listeners including Members of parliament and local leaders. That was the beginning of a conversation between you, the youth of Christchurch ,and decision makers that revealed a strong desire for young people to be part of the city’s reconstruction. The outcomes of the Youth Voices for Christchurch Challenge have been incorporated into the planning processes of the Christchurch City Council and other agencies. That event was also linked to New Zealand’s response to the UN International Year of Youth. One of the goals of the IYY was to challenge the often negative pre-conception that the wider NZ community shares about young people.
In the aftermath of the February Earthquake young people of Christchurch had well and truly challenged that negative perception. As key players in the Christchurch community’s response in the immediate aftermath of that disaster, they were the first to step up, to literally pick up their shovels and to take the initiative to support their communities. The event which begins today grew out the desire expressed on the part of those young people who organised the first youth forum that they saw value and would derive support from sharing their experience with others from the Asia and Pacific region who had experienced similarly traumatic events.
A unique feature of this Forum is that it is truly an event for young people designed and led by young people. I have only just returned from the General Conference of UNESCO, the biennial meeting of all the Member States of UNESCO. At the Conference the role of young people as agents of positive change received unprecedented attention. As one delegate put it : “Youth capital is the world’s most valuable resource.”
In her opening address to the Youth Forum which immediately preceded the General Conference , Madame Irene Bokova, the DG for UNESCO acknowledging the tremendous youth –led movement toward democracy and the reaffirmation of human dignity occurring most visibly in the Arab region, but echoed across the world told the young people present:
“You are not only leaders of tomorrow – you are the leading actors for today.”
There is no question that at UNESCO young people are being regarded in an entirely new way not just as a group that is the target of UNESCO programmes but as a group that must be empowered to lead initiatives not only for the benefit of their peers but also for the benefit of their communities and nations as a whole. The Forum that begins today epitomises that model of a youth led activity.
The Steering Committee is made up of youth and is led by Sam Johnson , the Leader of the Student Volunteer Army, and acknowledged one of New Zealanders foremost young leaders. Stephen McConnachie ( Linwood High School) and Chris Henderson ( Aranui High School) have volunteered their services as Forum facilitators . They have worked with a small committee to develop the programme and will be taking the lead during the event. Peer facilitators will also play a role.
The New Zealand National Commission is particularly appreciative of the voluntary contributions of members of the planning committee and others to make this event happen. We are proud to be stand beside you in delivering this unique event. There are a number of contributors to the forum whom I would like to acknowledge this morning I would like to thank the generous sponsors of the Forum including: UNESCO’s Bangkok and Apia Offices; JCI International; Rotary International; the Student Volunteer Army ; College House; and the University of Canterbury I would like to acknowledge Lorraine McKewan for her hard work on the logistical arrangements And last but not least I would like to acknowledge Darryl Macer of the UNESCO Bangkok Office, who is himself a Christchurch resident, and my colleague at the Ministry of Education, Vicki Soanes for their commitment and passion and sheer hard work over recent months . My congratulations to you both for bringing this event to fruition.
Finally I have a very special acknowledgment to make and that is to the late Bronwen Dean, a New Zealand woman with a strong interest in world affairs and social justice, a teacher, a public servant and a community radio presenter. On her death in 2007 Bronwen left a bequest to the National Commission to be used for our work. We have been looking for an appropriate project ever since and I believe we have found it in the current forum. It seems to us particularly fitting that we should allocate Bronwen’s bequest to this activity because she spent 10 years of her life in Christchurch. We understand that she would be very pleased to know that her bequest had gone to an event that benefits Christchurch and youth- especially in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
In closing ,I would, on behalf of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, like to wish you all well for a wonderful and fulfilling four days in Christchurch. All of you young people here today have lived through tragic loss
- from the deadly earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands in northern Japan ,
- to the floods that devastated Queensland ,
-to our own quake-ravaged Christchurch and the Canterbury region.
And all of you are demonstrating tremendous courage in your willingness to share what must be the most painful of experiences – to draw on that experience and allow it to be utilised in a way that contributes to building the resilience of other individuals and other communities
who may be faced with similar situations in the future.
Go well and I look forward to hearing the outcomes of your deliberations,
Nga mihi nui kia koutou, Kia ora!
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