Media Release
Race Unity Speech Awards 2025
Northland Regional Race Unity Speech Awards Champion
Whangarei Girls High School’s Liesl Musto was named champion for the Northland region at the regional heats held on Saturday 22 of March at The Whangarei Baha’í Centre in Kensington. The year 12 student will represent Tai Tokerau at the Race Unity Speech Awards final and hui in Auckland on the weekend of May 3-4.
Speeches with visions of practical and uplifting solutions towards a unified and diverse society were promoted from senior students throughout the country this past week.
Liesl Musto spoke powerfully on the significance of equity in the advancement of positive race relations in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
“We need to rethink how we support marginalised communities….fight the tides of discrimination…together” she said” ensuring equal job opportunities, and dismantling the biases that hold us back…The solution to bridging the divisions in our society starts with a deep understanding of the systems that perpetuate divisions. One of the most powerful systems at play is education…[It}can reinforce biases and assumptions about who can succeed [or] be a tool for empowerment, not… further division.…” [When] we let go of assumption and bias, we give people the opportunity to rise.”
This year’s theme is Te Moana Nui o te Kanorau – The Great Ocean of Diversity. Not only is interdependence and collaboration required in our great oceans, it is also essential in the human world if we are to create a united and harmonious society.
Liesl says she is looking forward to representing Tai Tokerau at the Nationals of the Race Unity Speech Awards.
She said she thoroughly enjoyed the regional heat and is excited about meeting students from around the country in May.
The regional co-ordinator Nancy Rishworth said “we had a great group of thoughtful students offer wonderfully diverse perspectives on this year’s theme. Some forty members of the community from around the region attended.
Jan Nielsen a teacher at a Kura in Kerikeri was impressed with the organisation of the event, and the exceptional work by our judging panel.
Chief judge Paula Wilson of Te Hunga Roia o Aotearoa/New Zealand Maori Law Society Tai Tokerau said “the calibre of the speeches continues to rise year after year. She and Maurice Cooper- Kapa Acting Inspector and Maori Responsiveness Manager with NZ Police, and another member of our judging panel are keen to promote the event on their social media platforms.
Photos below:
Northland Champion Liesl Musto and Maurice Cooper Kapa of NZ Police one of the members of the judging panel
Liesl Musto (WHGH) and runner up Halye Bloch Jorgensen (Kerikeri High School)
Our Six Speakers; judging panel MC and time keeper
Northland Champion Liesl Musto and Maurice Cooper Kapa of NZ Police one of the members of the judging panel
Liesl Musto (WHGH) and runner up Halye Bloch Jorgensen (Kerikeri High School)
Our Six Speakers; judging panel MC and time keeper
About the Awards
The New Zealand Baha’i Community established the awards after the tragic death of race relations advocate and Baha’i Faith member Hedi Moani.
The New Zealand Baha’i Community is a religious community concerned with promoting the oneness of humanity at the local, national and international levels.
The Hui and Speech Awards are organised by the New Zealand Baha’i Community and are sponsored and supported by the New Zealand Police, Multicultural New Zealand, the Human Rights Commission, Manukau Institute of Technology, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, Speech New Zealand, the Hedi Moani Charitable Trust, the NZ National Commission for UNESCO and Mana Mokopuna - Children and Young People’s Commission.
Race Unity Awards by the numbers
2,000
Students have participated in the Speech Awards since 2001.
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40,000
People have listened to the speeches in person.
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2 million+
Views of the speeches online.
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1,000
Police officers, academics, government officials and other people of influence have served as judges of the Speech Awards.
Social
Media contacts
Northland Regional Co-Ordinator
Nancy Rishworth
surfdancer@xtra.co.nz
027 351 8433
National Media Co-ordinator
Jude Walcott
jude.walcott2024@gmail.com
027 474 1016