15 June 2017

Annual conference 2017 – addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 2017 National Conference of the United Nations Association of New Zealand will draw focus to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as current and former leaders come together to consider New Zealand’s past and future engagement with the UN and the 17 Goals. Key note speakers will include the Rt Hon Helen Clark, former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, as well as former NZ Ambassadors to the UN and leaders from both the government and NGO sectors.

The conference will be held on the 29th and 30th of June starting with a panel discussion on New Zealand’s plan to localise the global SDGs, hosted by White Man Behind a Desk, Robbie Nicol. The conference will also include discussion on the evolving linkages between the Pacific Islands and the United Nations, the ‘rights and responsibilities’ of all peoples (indigenous and introduced) ten years after the signing of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, as well as reducing inequalities for rangatahi Māori.

A youth perspective will be provided by the national secondary school speech award finalists who will be addressing the role of nuclear weapons in today’s world. The viewing and discussion of the historic Peter Coates’ film NZ and the UN – New Zealand’s involvement in the United Nations over its first 50 years will provide an opportunity to look back to New Zealand’s formative years on the UN. The conference will be held from 9:30-6:30 on the Thursday at Lecture Theatre 2 of the Old Government Buildings on Lambton Quay, and from 9:30-4:30 on the Friday in the Legislative Chamber in Parliament. To register for the event and for further details please visit the Eventbrite page: www.unanz2017.eventbrite.com.

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