Palmerston North student’s race unity speech makes impact
Media Story by Maxine Jacobs – Stuff
From left, Race Unity Speech Awards 2024 finalist and Tohu Eke Panuku recipient Leo Mwape stands with Dr Kat Eghdamian.
The words of a Rangitāne rangatira rang out across the crowd as Palmerston North Boys’ High School Race Unity Speech Awards finalist Leo Mwape shared his kōrero for how Aotearoa can unite.
“Kua kaupapa i au te aroha, mā koutou e whakaoti,” Te Peeti Te Awe Awe said as he helped to bring iwi Māori and Pākehā together in unity in the 1800s, “I have laid the foundations of friendship for your continuation.”
The year 13 student said Te Peeti’s statement was a guide to the path the nation must follow in order to ensure the diversity of Aotearoa was celebrated, and racism did not win out.
Mwape, alongside six other students from across the motu, laid down his challenge for how the nation can move towards being a racism-free country at the Race Unity Speech Awards national finals in Auckland on Sunday.
He spoke of Te Peeti’s vision that Papaiōea, and therefore Aotearoa, would be full of people woven together with love and respect rather than merely co-existing, earning him the Tohu Eke Panuku - Human Rights Commission Award for Impact for providing an effective practical suggestion for ending racism and improving race relations in Aotearoa.
“When you have respect for other people’s heritage, cultures and beliefs we can do more than merely co-exist,” Mwape told the crowd at Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae in Ōtara.
Leo Mwape has been a speaker at multiple events and earned several accolades. (File photo)DAVID UNWIN / Manawatū Standard
Mwape has been a regular at the Race Unity Speech Awards, taking out the Tohu Manaakitanga and Tohu Whetumatarau in 2023, and winning the Speech NZ Award for Delivery in 2022.
Dr Kat Eghdamian, the lead advisor for the Human Rights Commission, said all the speeches were impactful, but Mwape’s especially stood out.
“Leo spoke about the relationships that we need to build; they need to go beyond agreement ... building relationships of love and deep connection.”
Jessica Tupa’i, a year 12 student from Wellington’s St Mary’s College, was named the Race Unity Speech Awards National Champion for 2024, and received the Tohu Raukura ā-Motu - New Zealand Police National Champion’s Award, and the Tohu Auahatanga - Speech NZ Award for delivery.
Pieri Munro, the deputy chief executive iwi and communities for police, said the discourse shared by rangatahi at the awards was “nation building”.
Race Unity Speech Awards National Champion 2024 Jessica Tupa’i is also the recipient of the Tohu Auahatanga - Speech NZ Award for Delivery and the Tohu Māramatanga - Baha’i Community Award for Insight.
“We had seven beautiful orators from our whakatipuranga - our next generation. I want to acknowledge their tenacity and the key messages that they’re delivering, not just to this audience, not just to ministers, but to the whole country.”
Tupa’i also received the Tohu Māramatanga - Bahá’í Community Award for Insight for providing deep insight into how Aotearoa could bring about the oneness of humanity.
Member of the National Spiritual Assembly for the Bahá’í of New Zealand Dr Audrey Aumua said Tupa’i put out a strong and significant challenge to Aotearoa.
Bev Watson, one of the awards’ national co-ordinators, said hearing the young orators speak on sensitive issues was refreshing and essential.
“In a world that often feels more divided every day, it’s essential that we listen to the voices of our rangatahi as they share their views, ideas and insights about one of the most divisive issues of all - race relations.” - Manawatu Standard