Each year the National Commission sponsors projects that align with its mission through its UNESCO Contestable Activity Fund (UCAF). Below are the 2017/2018 recipients.
Organisation: The Kauri Project
Project: Kauri Ki Uta, Kauri Ki Tai: A cross disciplinary science, arts, mātauranga Māori Wānanga about kauri and environment
Summary: The Kauri Project will organise and run a multi-day wānanga to bring together a variety of people and disciplines working with kauri in order to share and expand knowledge, and inspire/initiate collaboration towards solutions to dealing with the threat of kauri dieback/Phytopthora agathidicida and wider forest ecosystem conservation. It will undertake to weave the strands of art, mātauranga Māori, scientific research and community action to the benefit and enhancement of all.
Organisation: New Zealand Festival
Project: A Waka Odyssey
Summary: Supporting the New Zealand Festival to bring the largest ever fleet of waka hourua (traditional twin-hulled sailing waka) to Wellington for a series of events marking a week-long celebration of our place in the Pacific and our remarkable 3000-year history of ocean voyaging.
Organisation: Parihaka Network: Ngā Manu Korihi
Project: Parihaka Peace Week
Summary: The Parihaka Network will run a pilot programme for Peace Week from 28 October to 5 November 2017. They will trial an educational resource package, including material on New Zealand history, peace, conflict resolution and volunteerism. The intent is to embed and normalise New Zealand’s history of conflict, war, peacemaking into the lives of New Zealanders with children celebrating heroes like Tohu and Te Whiti, learning about justice and celebrating a peace day on 5 November.
Organisation: The Research Trust of Victoria University of Wellington
Project: Exploring Education for Sustainable Development approaches
Summary: Research by Associate Professor Jenny Ritchie and Associate Professor Sandy Morrison on how kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa and Enviroschools (kindergarten and school) are implementing principles and practices of education for sustainable development (ESD) utilising te ao Māori constructs. The project is part of a larger international project: ‘Reorienting Education and Training Systems to Improve the Lives of Indigenous and Marginalized Youth’, led by Professor Charles Hopkins of York University, Toronto, the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability.
Organisation: Victoria University of Wellington
Project: Second Pacific Climate Change Conference
Summary: The Second Pacific Climate Change Conference will bring together a broad range of voices on climate change, from the science to the impacts of the policy and public implications, including a variety of sectors and communities to exchange ideas on addressing climate change and its risks for food security, water availability, and habitability. It will be co-hosted with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), with a focus on oceans.
Organisation: Youthtown Inc
Project: Design Change
Summary: A social innovation and design project that utilises Youthtown’s strength in developing young people’s capabilities. Teams of young people from six small communities in the Central North Island will be supported to engage with the community to identify issues and design and implement relevant solutions. They will present their prototype at an open community presentation and afterwards have regular guided meetings to refine the idea to take it to implementation or to market.
