The Aspen Institute New Zealand, a summer reflection
Welcome to Arotake-Raumati, the Summer Review, Where We Reflect on our Activities Over the Past
Six Months.
Many of you have taken part in our online seminars, workshops and stayed connected via The Lookout. A few highlights are:
Rt. Hon. Sir Bill English joining the board
Launching Te Kākano, our Supporters Programme and welcoming Abby O'Neil and Carroll Joynes as Rata supporters
Multi sector engagement in our seminar on Misinformation Challenges, with a special thanks to U.S Embassy for their support and the thought provoking students from the U.S. Embassy Youth Council
We'd also like to take this opportunity to extend a thank you to inaugural directors, Bill Moran and Lisa Tumahai, who have retired from the board. Bill and Lisa were instrumental in our becoming a partner of the Aspen Institute's International Network and have been an integral part of the team ever since. Thank you for your wise counsel during these early years of Aspen NZ!
We look forward to an exciting 2022, convening more often in person and expanding the Aspen programme, including more tools for 'critical thinking' and a forum for addressing issues critical to business.
Welcome to our Community
We’re delighted to welcome the Rt. Hon. Sir Bill English KNZM to the board. Bill requires little introduction, being a leading figure in New Zealand as former Finance Minister, Deputy Prime Minister from 2008 to 2016, and Prime Minister until a change of government in 2017. Bill retired from politics in 2018 and sits on the board of Wesfarmers Ltd, and Todd Corporation. With his family, he is a director and investor in several private companies in primary production and serving the philanthropy and disability sectors. He consults to NZ and Australian companies and governments.
We asked Bill about his interest in the Institute ...
“Aspen NZ is a welcome addition to a small group of independent outward looking organisations offering diverse sources of thought and leadership. At a time when our assumptions of a benign economic and strategic environment unravel, Aspen offers international connections with people who can independently broaden our understanding of how to see the world.
The Aspen approach is also unique and necessary in New Zealand. NZ needs leaders who can craft distinctive solutions which might otherwise be blurred by our inherent preference for agreement ... the Aspen guided discussion process is an important alternative to the usual processes which dampen differences and characterise departures from the consensus as extremism".
... and what he's observed so far:
“My first experience of the Aspen method was the Misinformation Challenges seminar. I was impressed with the constructive energy in discussion where divergent views flowed free from assumptions about what was the correct thing to say. The discussion was thoughtful, nuanced, and respectful with sufficient tension to hold the group interest".
Welcome Bill and we look forward to your active engagement helping us grow.
Joining Aspen's expert moderator team is Claire Robinson and Ross Young. Claire has recently taken up her new role as CEO of the Toi Mai Workforce Development Council for the Creative, Culture, Recreation and Technology Industries, and Ross is the Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google NZ.
Giving Back - Introducing Te Kākano
We are excited to launch Te Kākano, the Aspen Institute New Zealand Supporters Programme. Your point of view and participation is what makes Aspen NZ a vibrant, thought-provoking and influential community to belong to. Thoughtful conversations change society, and your involvement is essential to who we are in a connected world. We invite you to join our globally linked local community of supporters and help us advance the Institute’s mission of values-based leadership and dialogue on the issues critical to our country and world today. Find out more here.
Unprecedented Access - The Aspen Network
World-Class Topic Seminars
Conversations with the Experts
September saw 24 diverse participants with moderators Neil Jacobstein, Prof. Claire Robinson and Ross Young for Misinformation Challenges, Aspen’s fifth seminar in the Future Challenges: Systems Thinking and Values based Leadership series. A dynamic, two-day online event exploring misinformation from a 360 degree perspective in a year that has been dominated by pandemic induced fake news. Read more here.
Coming Soon
In 2022 we will be ramping up our leadership development online and in person starting with our Future Challenges seminars, by expanding the toolkit to include 'critical thinking', a vital skill to distinguish facts from fiction.
Business Forum
Plus, launching a programme for CEO’s and senior leaders to discuss issues critical to the business community. The small, moderated, in person forums will be off-the record and non-partisan, ensuring participants can speak openly and freely. More information will be available in the new year.
CityLab, Amsterdam
We have been invited to nominate a few local experts to attend CityLab in April. CitiLab is hosted by the Institute and Bloomberg Philanthropies and gathers the world’s most creative mayors and city innovators with an extraordinary group of artists, academics, philanthropists, and other public, nonprofit, and private sector leaders dedicated to transforming cities and shaping a brighter future together. Read about the 2019 event here and get in touch for more information here.
