Local Principal Joins Delegation To Shanghai Expo

MEDIA RELEASE
15 April 2010

Local Principal Joins Delegation To Shanghai World Expo

The principal of a leading Bay of Plenty school has been selected to take part in a high profile, regional delegation to attend the Shanghai World Expo in July this year and then on to Yantai, Tauranga’s Sister City. Robert Mangan, the principal of Tauranga Boys College, will join the delegation of local political and business leaders on the visit to China.

Mr Mangan says this is a unique opportunity to visit China and to learn more about China-New Zealand relations. He says the opportunity will also allow him to develop new relationships with schools and communities both in Shanghai and at Yantai, Tauranga’s sister city in China, as well as get to know his fellow delegation members from the Western Bay of Plenty business community.

This opportunity is funded by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and Export Bay of Plenty* and facilitated by Priority One’s INSTEP programme.

One of the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s key goals is educating young New Zealanders to be comfortable and confident in doing business with or in Asia. The foundation’s education director, Vanessa Lee, says providing school leaders like Mr Mangan with the opportunity to visit China will assist in building New Zealanders’ knowledge and skills as confident cross-cultural communicators who can be successful in Asia.

Robert Mangan says the ability to enhance the awareness of Asia across the school curriculum is certainly a priority given the influence of the Asian economies and especially China’s economy.

“Much of the responsibility for preparing our youth for tomorrow’s world lies with us. With the growing influences of superpowers such as China and India, it is vital that our future graduates, young professional, business leaders and politicians are provided with opportunities to understand and appreciate Asian cultures,” he said.

*Export Bay of Plenty’s funding was made possible through sponsorship from the following companies: Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, BGH Group, BNZ Partners, Mossops Honey, NZ Post, Orb Communications, Page Macrae, Sharp Tudhope, Southern Produce, Triodent and United Travel Corporate.

ENDS

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