The 2026 Race Unity Speech Awards finals are an opportunity for rangatahi from Northland to Otago to come together to share their views on race relations and social cohesion in Aotearoa New Zealand, and to identify everyday opportunities for meaningful change.
Read MoreThe Race Unity Speech Awards was proud to see 2025 National Champion Jordyn Joy Pillay attend the Race Relations Breakfast 2026 at Parliament, joining leaders, advocates, and partners from across Aotearoa for a morning of reflection, connection, and conversation.
Read MoreAmanjot Singh was born and brought up along North Island's eastern coast. He realized early in life that the colour of his skin would travel faster than his voice.
Read MoreA Tauraroa Area School student was crowned Northland champion at the Race Unity Speech Awards regional heat in Whangārei last week.
Read MoreA Craighead Diocesan School student was named the Central South Island champion at the recent Race Unity Speech Awards regional heat for her powerful speech on listening to understand.
Read MoreMana Tamariki student Taumaihiroa Tawhai-Porter, 15, won the Manawatū-Whanganui regional title at the Youth Space in Palmerston North on Tuesday night and qualified for the national final in Auckland in May.
Read MoreThe Central South Island heat of the competition will be held at Multicultural Aoraki, with speeches about eight minutes each.
Read MoreSenior secondary students from across the Bay of Plenty will take to the stage next week to share their perspectives on race relations in New Zealand in 2026's Race Unity Speech Awards.
Read MoreMore than 190 students from Northland to South Otago will share their perspectives on issues of race relations in Aotearoa at the Regional Heats of the annual Race Unity Speech Awards from Monday, 23 March to Saturday, 28 March.
Read MoreThe Race Unity Speech Awards return for 2026. Any student from year 11 to 13 is welcome to register by Friday 6 March, whether it’s their first time or, for some students this may be their second or third year they will participate.
Read More
