Next week’s conference will be the first time the event has been held in New Zealand for two decades.
After an official welcome – a pōwhiri – there will be a ‘Parade of Nations’ down one of Auckland’s main city streets – Queen St – featuring delegates from more than 20 cultures adorned in their own cultural attire, making the conference highly visible to the city’s residents.
“As we head into final preparations for WIPCE 2025, we acknowledge the hard work and collective effort that has brought us to this point,” said a joint statement from the four WIPCE conference co-chairs, Dr Noe Noe Wilson-Wong, Dr Bentham Ohia, Professor Damon Salesa and Professor Meihana Durie.
“WIPCE is about celebrating and affirming a shared sense of Indigenous determination and unity.”
“WIPCE is also a time to draw inspiration from the power of Indigenous ceremony, language, culture and scholarship and to reimagine the future of Indigenous education through sharing our deepest experiences, our distinctive histories and bold visions for the future.
“Together, alongside our iwi manaaki of Ngāti Whātua Orākei, we look forward to welcoming manuhiri to Aotearoa and in particular, to Tāmaki Makaurau, a city that is home to the largest number of Pacific peoples in the world.”
Professor Durie went further to emphasis the power of the meeting.
“Although it is clear that Indigenous rights remain under immense threat, this gathering unites Indigenous educators, scholars and champions from across the world. Amplifying Indigenous voices and aspirations to transcend barriers that limit our collective potential, and more importantly, to achieve transformative inter-generational outcomes for Indigenous education worldwide,” he said.
“WIPCE is really about thinking about the future and how we navigate it collectively as Indigenous people. Our greatest strength comes through our unification.”
With the original host venue, the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC), a few months shy of its February opening date, the event will be held at the Aotea Centre.
“WIPCE 2025 has the highest number of attendees ever recorded at an academic conference in New Zealand,” said Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive, Nick Hill.
“The conference is expected to contribute NZ$8.275 million to Auckland’s economy and generate more than 16,600 visitor nights.
“In addition, this gathering reflects our identity as the world’s largest Māori and Polynesian city, enriched by more than 200 ethnicities. We are committed to sharing knowledge that connects us all.”
Auckland’s successful bid to host the conference was supported by Auckland Convention Bureau, which is part of Auckland Unlimited. Tourism New Zealand also lent its support to the bid.
WIPCE 2025 will take place November 16 to 20.
