Simon Draper's November update 2017
Last week we released our latest research Starting Strong: Nurturing the potential of our Asian under-fives’, which looks at the changing demographics of our under-five population.
One in five New Zealanders under five years old are now of Asian ethnicity. What are their experiences in maintaining their heritage cultures and languages at home and as they enter early childhood education? How are early childhood centres adapting to this change?
We launched the report with a panel discussion featuring key stakeholders in the early learning sector including Nancy Bell, the Ministry of Education's director of early learning and Peter Reynolds, chief executive of the Early Childhood Council, with Radio NZ education correspondent John Gerritsen as moderator.
The Foundation is working with these stakeholders with the intent to produce a deliberate and coordinated approach to ensure these children maintain and grow their cultural knowledge and language skills -- skills that will serve them and New Zealand well in the future.
Asia After Five events – Covering Asia
We have held our last Asia After Fives in Wellington and Auckland for 2017, with the two events focusing on media coverage of Asia. Thanks to speakers Steve Maharey, Natasha Hamilton-Hart, Jessica Rowe, Jehan Casinader and Philippa Tolley. Staff member Rebecca Inoue-Palmer also spoke about the newly launched Asia Media Centre, which aims to help New Zealand media to access Asia expertise.
The Foundation has held a dozen Asia After Five events across New Zealand this year, enabling our stakeholders to share their Asia knowledge and experience with a wider audience.
Our first international Asia After Five takes place in Singapore tonight, featuring social entrepreneurs Christey West and Audrey Tan. Many thanks to all who have supported these events and we look forward to bringing you more in 2018.
Leadership Network Refugee Hui
Around 60 members of our fantastic Leadership Network came together in Auckland last weekend for the Refugee Hui - one of a series of hui the network has held throughout New Zealand this year.
The hui gave participants the chance to understand some of the key issues New Zealand faces with regards to refugees. Fifty percent of the country’s 1,000 refugee quota is allocated to Asia-Pacific.
The hui included a visit to the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre, where LN members were briefed on New Zealand’s refugee resettlement programme.
They also had an interactive session with some of the leading lights in the refugee space, including New Zealand Red Cross and Amnesty International New Zealand.
Participants learned about the opportunities available to them if they want to get involved in refugee resettlement work. The group also heard the personal stories of Abbas Nazari and Rez Gardi, who shared their journeys of settling in New Zealand and becoming accomplished young professionals.
Track II visit to ASEAN-Australia-NZ Trilateral
Next week I'm leading a Track II delegation of experts to Kuala Lumpur for the 10th ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Dialogue - convened by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia, and co-funded (with AsiaLink) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Our dialogue will take place shortly after regional leaders meet at APEC and the East Asia Summit. The Trilateral is a great opportunity to take stock of these meetings and exchange perspectives with our neighbours around the Asia-Pacific.
Our discussions normally revolve around shared strategic, security and trade/economic interests. A timely issue to which our director strategic communications and media Mark Russell will speak to is the convergence of technology, social media and foreign policy.
The input and responses from our counterparts on this and other discussions will be most illuminating - especially how our partners might view us in New Zealand, and what that means for our wider engagement with Asia.
Simon Draper
