Finding common ground
Our purpose is to deepen the conversation about the issues that matter to Aotearoa New Zealand – and foster remarkable leadership for our future. Whiria te tāngata.
A forum for forward thinking
The Aspen Institute New Zealand is a not-for-profit organisation with a nationwide reach and global network. Participants benefit from the Institute’s non-partisan, values-based approach. We convene eclectic and diverse gatherings at our base in Queenstown, at centres throughout New Zealand and through our on-line forums.
Seminars and forums promote complex understanding using Aspen’s unique method of text-based and professionally guided conversations. With leadership at its core, our objective is to deepen appreciation of the opportunities, risks, and trade-offs around the issues that matter to New Zealand.
The people of New Zealand have inspired us all by showing resilience and a commitment to democratic values. No matter its size, New Zealand is now in a world leadership role.
— Secretary Albright, Washington DC, 1937-2022
(Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)
A world of influential contacts
With over 600 employees spread across 14 countries, we offer unprecedented access to global resources and convening power of the Aspen Institute.
Each partner is independently financed and operated, with their own team on the ground. Together, we work collaboratively across borders, addressing global challenges and developing values-based leaders.
The Aspen Institute and its partners:
The Institute provides access to an extraordinary global network and enables current and future New Zealand leaders to contribute to new ideas on a world stage.
— The Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, ONZ SSI PC
Get involved
The Aspen Institute offers multiple ways to get involved across our three focus areas: Global Affairs, Critical Conversations, and Connected Communities. Attend an expert-led seminar addressing New Zealand’s most pressing challenges, or a community-focussed forum. Sign up for The Lookout, our monthly newsletter offering you a global perspective, or deepen your involvement by joining Te Kākano, our supporters programme.
ⓒ Chris Morton Photography