Equipping New Zealanders to excel in Asia
The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is New Zealand's leading provider of Asia insights and experiences that help equip New Zealanders to excel in Asia.
Latest Foundation stories
Read articles about our recent activities and the people we've supported to excel in Asia
Q&A: Foundation film delegation explores India's vibrant film industry
For New Zealand filmmaker Amanda Jane Robinson, the streets of India were “wildly cinematic” – with a story waiting to be discovered around every corner and in every face. In June, Amanda was one of five screen creatives the Foundation took to India to attend the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), connect with the local film industry and build relationships with fellow filmmakers. The group were joined by the editor of the New Zealand Listener, Kirsty Cameron, who documented the visit. The trip was part of the Foundation’s Arts Delegation Programme, which supports New Zealand arts decision-makers to develop meaningful, long-term connections with key organisations, events and creative communities across Asia. In this article we chat with Amanda about the visit and what it revealed to her about filmmaking, both in India and at home in New Zealand.
Reflections on diplomacy and the power of human connection
Leadership Network member Ellen Dixon shares her insights on Track II diplomacy and the Foundation’s NextGen Masterclass and Roundtable held in Palmerston North earlier this month. Titled 'Should we be getting serious and strategic with Asia?', the roundtable examined New Zealand’s engagement across the region. Ellen has been involved in NextGen diplomacy for almost a decade and has subsequently represented New Zealand for global education policy with the United Nations and at other international forums. The Foundation co-hosted the dialogue in partnership with the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs Palmerston North Branch at Institute of the Pacific United (IPU) in August.
Asia Insights
Expert analysis on Asia and New Zealand-Asia relations
Raising ambition in the India-New Zealand partnership
The signing of a free trade agreement in July marks a new era of closer economic ties between New Zealand and India, but there is scope to deepen the relationship further, writes Dhruva Jaishankar. Jaishankar, who is the executive director of the Observer Research Foundation America and an Asia New Zealand Foundation 2026 Senior International Fellow, spent a week in New Zealand in August, where he met with leaders across the public and private sectors.
Opinion: What New Zealand can learn from Malaysia’s economic preparedness
Reflecting on the recent Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Malaysia, Associate Professor Antje Fiedler examines what New Zealand can learn from Malaysia’s approach to economic policy and the growing strategic importance of its rare earth mineral resources.
Opportunities
Explore opportunities to deepen your understanding of Asia through grants, internships, residencies and more.
Board Directors' Delegation to Singapore and India
The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is offering up to eight places for future-thinking New Zealand board directors to take part in a funded delegation to Singapore and India in November 2026.
Media Travel Grants
The Foundation's Media Travel Grants provide New Zealand journalists with funding to travel independently to Asia to research and prepare stories. Media Travel Grants are administered by the Foundation's Asia Media Centre.
Fireside chat: Coffee culture in NZ and Southeast Asia
Join the Asia New Zealand Foundation and Creative HQ in Wellington on 1 September for a fireside chat with Ariestelo Asilo, CEO of Varacco Coffee, as we explore the global forces shaping your daily brew.
