Twenty-three senior students from Wellington secondary schools competed last week in the regional heat of the 2008 Race Unity Speech Award held at The Royal NZ Police College over two nights, 11-12 March. The competition, initiated by the NZ Baha'i community in 2001, is held in support of Race Relations Day each year and is strongly supported by the Human Rights Commission. It is open to students in years 11-13 and encourages participants to consider issues surrounding race relations in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This year the award is sponsored by NZ Police, whose involvement supports its ethnic strategy of deterring offences that incite racial disharmony and promoting more harmonious race relations. "The NZ Police is committed to reducing both the incidence and the effects of crime. We see this initiative as a valuable tool to reducing crime through supporting youth to improve race relations", said Wellington District Commander Superintendent Pieri Munro, one of the judges at the contest.
This year's topic was 'Finding Common Ground / He Rapunga Tahitanga', and considered the quote, "We belong to an organic unit [the world] and when one part of the organism suffers all the rest of the body will feel its consequences," from the Baha'i writings. Race Unity Speech Award organiser, Deb Gilbertson, said the judges were deeply impressed by the rich and varied thinking on finding solutions to race relations offered by all 23 contestants. Subject matter ranged from the personal experiences of an immigrant new to New Zealand, to highlighting the more subtle forms of racism that pervade society.
The Wellington regional heats were won by Charon Maseka of Taita College and Charlotte Davis of Queen Margaret College. Both have earned a place in the national semi-finals to be held in Auckland on 4 April and will also contribute to a one-day Race Unity Conference for secondary school and university students. Bethamy Balmer of Tawa College and Julian Chote of Wellington College were highly commended.
NZ Police will present a trophy to the overall Wellington winner when, together with representatives from the Human Rights Commission and the Baha'i community, they visit schools to hear the speeches delivered to the students' peers.
Media contact: Katrina Graham, Communications Advisor, RNZPC, 04238 3572 or 027 441 9216.
ENDS