Entries are now open for the prestigious Race Unity Speech Awards 2025, inviting senior students from schools across New Zealand to share their perspectives on improving race relations in the country.
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Pacific student challenges MPs to change racist laws
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Jessica Tupa’I is the winner of the 2024 Race Unity Speech Awards, a national competition organised by the New Zealand Baha’I Community.
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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.
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The winner of the New Zealand 2024 Race Unity Speech Awards is Jessica Tupai, year 12, from St Mary’s College, Wellington.
Jessica's speech highlighted the value of social cohesion and community collaboration.
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Rangatahi across Taranaki have spoken up against racism as part of an annual speech competition.
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Calls for unity and practical ideas on how to challenge and end racism were heard all late last month as senior high school students participated in the annual Race Unity Speech Awards.
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South Asian high school students are increasingly standing up to champion better race relations in New Zealand, if the recent Race Unity Speech Awards are anything to go by.
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The Year 13 student from Auckland’s Selwyn College was one of six finalists who poured their hearts out on the issue of racism and discrimination in Aotearoa.
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"There are many race-related issues New Zealand still needs to address and the Race Unity Speeches are one small part of that journey we need to be undertaking" - Māori cultural advocate Aperahama Hurihanganui.
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For the first time in Race Unity Speech Awards, two people have been named joint national champions.
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A Kerikeri High School student has been crowned the joint national winner of the Race Unity Speech Awards.
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For the first time in the Race Unity Speech Awards history, two young speakers have been named joint national champions.
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For the first time in 22 years, two speakers have been named joint national champions in the annual Race Unity Speech Awards.
Chief judge NZ Police Deputy Commissioner Wally Haumaha says it was impossible to choose a single national champion.
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"Every time we poison the river, we poison ourselves." In a stirring speech in Gisborne on Thursday night, Horouta Waka Hoe club paddler Mairangi Campbell described the impact of pollution on young people using the Waimatā River.
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"Should I tick Māori or New Zealand European? If I tick Māori, I am denying my mum and her ancestry, and if I tick NZ European, I am denying my dad and his whakapapa."
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It started with an Instagram post and has ended with an acceptance letter to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Seventeen-year-old Jess Jenkins (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki nui-a-Rua), who has just finished her final year at Tawa College, has been accepted to Harvard University under early admission, one of 747 students from more than 10,000 applications.
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The winner of the annual Race Unity Speech Awards says as a Māori with white skin she doesn’t experience direct racism, but many people close to her do.
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Turning 18 during a national lockdown hasn't stopped Ngariki Tamainu from taking on other challenges. On April 17, the Tauranga Girls' College Year 13 student won a regional speech competition on race relations in New Zealand, earning herself a place in the national semi-finals.
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After a different and new format for many speakers, two Hawke's Bay students have made their way to the nationals of the New Zealand Race Unity Speech competition.
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