Students call for end to racism at annual Race Unity Speech Awards

The Northland Race Unity Speech Awards 2024 winners were overall champion Hannah Nayyar (Year 13 Whangārei Girls’ High School); Youssef Awad (Yr. 13 Springbank School); Anya Slykerman (Yr. 11 Kamo High School); Harshinni Nayyar (Yr.13 WGHS) Photo / Race Unity Speech Awards

Calls for unity and practical ideas on how to challenge and end racism were heard all late last month as senior high school students participated in the annual Race Unity Speech Awards.

The Northland regional event was held on March 23 at the Bahai Centre in Kensington, Whangārei.

Whangārei Girl’s High School student Hannah Nayyar was named champion for the Northland region and will be a finalist representative at the Race Unity Speech Awards final and hui in Auckland in May. Her twin sister Harshinni won the top award last year and also received an award this year.

The year 13 student delivered a powerful speech on the instinctive human need for connection.

“We are born to connect. From the moment of our birth. We are instinctively drawn to connect we weave bonds with those around us. Like the unique threads of the harakeke, each of us represents distinct strengths, experiences, and perspectives,” Hannah said in her speech.

Whangārei Girls’ High School student Hannah Nayyar will represent the region at the final and hui in Auckland in May. Photo / Race Unity Speech Awards

This year’s theme is Te Taura Tangata – The Rope of Unity, an urge for more collaboration from the wider community on racial unity.

Hannah is looking forward to representing Northland at the Race Unity Speech Awards final in Auckland, rubbing shoulders with, exchanging ideas with, and learning from students from others regions who like her have an “ability to unite [people from] diverse backgrounds, [a] passion for social change”. Who want “to advocate for inclusive policies celebrating Aotearoa’s rich cultural heritage”.

The event’s Northland regional coordinator Nancy Rishworth said it was wonderful to interact with and be in the company of such thoughtful young people who have genuine concern for racial harmony and the wellbeing of their communities born out of positive impact of efforts towards inclusivity from their own life experiences.

She said it was heart-warming to observe the enthusiastic interactions between the students and members of the audience, as well as students and members of the judging panel and MC at the close of the evening.

Senior Sergeant Maurice Cooper-Kapa who served on the judging panel said he found the evening uplifting and inspiring and was keen to be invited back next year.