On the 6th of August in Auckland New Zealand I had the privilege to meet with women (and men) who are committed to listen, learn and share.  Dr Paula Fellingham of the WIN worked with the women present to create a contact and build an environment where sharing happened.

The Summit was held at a school that proves that when family and community come together it is possible to create an environment where learning can happen. Kia ArohaSchool is a school that brings together children from Pacifica to study in an environment that rivals schools in richer areas of the city. The school proves that when given the opportunity and respect, parents and children can achieve and succeed. Ann Milnethe principal of the school was definitely one of the Award winners of the Summit because Ann has worked tirelessly for many years against government departments and experts to create an environment of learning.

Our event opened with a Pōwhiri. The experience was a new one for many of our attendees, particularly my husband Peter who landed up responding to the greeting and explaining why we had come. A Pōwhiri is aMāori welcome on to a marae, a way for the hosts (tangata whenua) to formally greet a group of visitors (manuhiri).

Following the Pōwhiri, the attendees were entertained by a presentation of Maori dances and songs.

Dr Paula Fellingham then addressed the women present and led them through the mission of the powerful forces for good and highly successful entrepreneurs in the 21^st century.

1.      BELIEVE in our gifts and talents, and use them to create a better world.

2.      RELINQUISH negativity and build personal power.

3.      RADIATE joy and confidence, and choose to be powerful forces for good.

4.      BE receivers, keepers, and givers of love and compassion.

5.      HOLD FAST to truth and moral values, and teach the next generation to be strong.

6.      SEIZE opportunities for growth and leadership, and live with passion and purpose.

7.      CONNECT with others to advance worthy causes.

8.      GIVE meaningful service, touch hearts, and change lives.

9.      REACH OUT to enlighten the minds and empower the hearts of women everywhere.

10.  DREAM big dreams and make those dreams come true.

She inspired the women with the mission of the WIN and invited the women to participate and learn more about the WIN online.

I had planned to address the group about “What happened to the Golden Egg” based on the financial crises and difficulties that have faced Baby Boomers women over the last 60 years. In reviewing the history I moved into the creation of the event and the collaboration and support I received from my friends to make the event happen. It is by supporting each other we make magic happen. I then introduced Farida Sultana from Shakti who talked about the conditions that arise with immigrant women coming to NZ who need to escape abusive marriages and the support that Shakti provides for these women. Farida then mentioned briefly that the situation throughout Asia was even worse for women in abusive marriage because there was no place for them to go as they are still considered chattels and their husband’s problem.

After our break, the discussions continued and when we returned we looked at the way women are the same and the way we are different. We had in the room a diverse ethnic mix so it was a great way of learning more about the new migrants and the early settlers of New Zealand.

As the day went on we listened to Grace Haden of Verisure Ltd talk about our need to inform ourselves and support ourselves especially in divorce. She spoke of our need to find out the truth before we enter contracts, especially marriage. She spoke about our need to be aware that reality is not what we think it is and as women we need to protect and inform ourselves and more importantly support each other. We then had a sharing by two participants who helped change significantly the laws around divorce and abandonment.

We enjoyed more dance and discussion on what needed to be done to make a difference for New Zealand Women. We listened to Mary Aue discuss the challenges for Pacifica living in New Zealand and the work being done by Accelerate Aotearoa to improve the opportunities for young people.

Our panel included women who are very special for their service to New Zealand. The panel discussed “How can we (the women of the world) live in dignity and contribute to the well-being of women and families worldwide? The panellists Judith Speight, Robyn Clements, Janis Grummitt, and Hinurewa Te Hau all spoke of their ideas based on the work they are doing in their respective areas of business. It was a fabulous way to end the sharing part of the day.

During the day and before closing, we honoured our special Award Winners. They included:

·         Ruth Davy of WONS, an organisation dedicated to improving health care in New Zealand for women.

·         Elisabeth Vaneveld who has tirelessly worked with the creative sector in New Zealand and is the energy behind the Big Idea

·         Laurie Hilsgen of Carers New Zealand and her team were honoured for their work with families dealing with disabled or elderly family at home.

·         Avis Nelson of Household Linens was honoured with our business women award for her incredible support and help of other women setting up business

·         Ann Milne of Kia Aroha School was our last award for the day and we all thanked Ann for the effort and hospitality of the day.

What next is the big challenge? There are several women who will be taking up Paula’s generous offer to attend the event in Los Angeles. There are others who will be working in small groups to become participate further. Several will become Show Hosts and others will look at taking key roles in future events.

Today is the first day of creating our future and we know we are not alone and that together we can make many things happen. Together we will learn to trust and collaborate for a better future for our families and ultimately the community and the world.

If you are in a city that has not yet experienced the Summit, get involved. If you participated in a Summit keep connected. Connect with me. I look forward to supporting and collaborating with you to create a better world.