A participatory forum for kōrero and action.

Wed Oct 22 2025 at 08:00 am to 05:30 pm UTC+13:00

National Library of New Zealand | Wellington

Make it 16
Publisher/HostMake it 16
A participatory forum for k\u014drero and action.
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Explore questions about the current state of democracy and ways to protect and shape its future.
About this Event

Co-presented by Make it 16 and The New Zealand Centre for Global Studies


‘Step up to the World: Tū māia ki te Ao: The Future of Democracy’ - joins a series of forums and initiatives that harness the transformative power of education to build cohesive, fair, and sustainable societies. It's about understanding who we are, how we are connected and stepping up with courage, confidence, and a shared sense of responsibility. Participants are inspired to think critically and empowered to act.

The vision for the ‘Future of Democracy’ forum is to draw on our collective expertise and create solutions for a stronger democratic future. This will culminate in a youth-led proposal for democracy in Aotearoa, where we will bridge blue-sky thinking with a concrete plan to achieve this vision.

Democracies around the world are backsliding in the face of alarming challenges that pose threats to our own democratic processes and freedoms. Putting these challenges aside, trust in democratic institutions and faith that they can solve critical issues is dwindling. This means our systems are not designed to respond to the challenges of the day.

The Forum will be opened at The New Zealand Centre for Global Studies' 12th Annual Lecture, 'The Future of Democracy: Indigenous Perspectives', to be held at Parliament on 21 October.


N.B: Explore the line up so far and stay tuned to this page as we confirm our guest speakers and finalise the forum programme.


Programme

🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Arrival and Registration
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Opening Plenary and Introductions
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
Keynote: Max Rashbrooke
Host: Max Rashbrooke
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Morning Tea
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Current State of Democracy in Aotearoa and Beyond
Host: Liban Ali
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Future Generations At The Center of Our Democracy
Host: Sophie Handford
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Regional/Geopolitical Perspectives - EU, G20, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, Pacific
🕑: 01:00 PM - 01:45 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:45 PM - 02:45 PM
Democracy and Technology
Host: Kassie Hartendorp
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:05 PM
Educating for the Future of Democracy - Locally - Globally
🕑: 03:05 PM - 04:05 PM
Te-Tiriti Led Constitutional Reform
Host: Richard Shaw
🕑: 04:05 PM - 04:50 PM
Vision Session and Poroporoaki Closing
🕑: 04:50 PM - 05:30 PM
Community Building
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

National Library of New Zealand, 70 Molesworth Street, Wellington, New Zealand

Tickets

NZD 0.00 to NZD 32.97

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