Former Prime Minister Helen Clark may have had the weight of the world on her shoulders but it didn't look like it when she spoke to a sold-out theatre last night.
Ms Clark looked relaxed and smiled as she spoke at a packed Baycourt Theatre, offering insight into her role as UN Development Programme administrator. But her subject matter was serious.
She spoke about the many challenges, including poverty, gender inequality, and a booming global population, which was not being mirrored with employment or infrastructure.
"The world's population at the moment is 7 billion. By 2050 it will be 9.3 billion, and almost all these extra people will be living in cities," she said.
"Cities around the world are expected to rise from around 3.6 billion to 6.3 billion or 68 per cent of the population will be in cities.