The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. For the next Wahine Toa blog I traveled to the world’s southernmost marae which is at the bottom of the South Island in Bluff. I met Aimee Kaio, a dedicated social entrepreneur from Ngāi Tahu, Tuhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue and Ngā Puhi, whose ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 20 January, 2017 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Maori Women Leaders, Ngā Puhi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Whakaue, Tuhourangi
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Jacinta Ruru is New Zealand’s first Māori Professor of Law, co-director of Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga (New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence), and a two-time Fulbright award grantee. Jacinta’s utmost mission has been straightforward: to bring a strong Indigenous voice ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 20 January, 2017 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Maori Women Leaders, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Ranginui, Raukawa, Wahine Toa Project
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Wahine Toa Nicol ‘Kelly’ Takurua of Ngāti Porou descent, is a champion social worker in rural Southland. And , as she tells it, her interest in organizing and helping others with their lives is something she’s done all her life. Kelly’s family ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 20 January, 2017 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Maori Women Leaders, Ngāti Porou, Wahine Toa
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Brittany Teei is a former professional tennis player, social entrepreneur, founder of KidsCoin tech-company, and she’s only 27 years young. Blessed with a prodigious mind and heart, this tenacious Ngāi Tahu woman recently shared her incredible story at the Remuera Tennis Club ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 19 January, 2017 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, U.S. & New Zealand, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, KidsCoin, Maori Women Leaders, Ngāi Tahu, Tennis
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. The next Wahine Toa feature is Deidre Otene of Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi. Over the last decade she has been at the forefront supporting Māori youth and women in grassroots communities. At the heart of her work is her own community in ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 18 January, 2017 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Maori, Maori Women Leaders, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Wahine Toa
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Libby Hakaraia is a trailblazing journalist, author and filmmaker, broadcasting New Zealand’s culture and cinematic stories to the world. A masterful auteur, Libby pioneered New Zealand’s first international indigenous film festival – Māoriland Film Festival. I visited this gifted storyteller in her ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 17 January, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Maori, Maori Women Leaders, Maoriland film festival, Nancy Gilbert, Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Atiawa, Wahine Toa Project
The latest Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Ranei Wineera-Parai is a change agent whose formidable community development work touches and improves lives in her home town of Porirua and its environs. Ranei has mana tangata whenua (indigenous rights) through her Ngāti Toa iwi. I had the privilege ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 9 January, 2017 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, First People's Connect, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Indigenous Women’s Conference, mana tangata whenua, Nancy Gilbert, Ngāti Toa iwi, Porirua, Ranei Wineera – Parai, Wahine Toa
Apply by Friday January 20, 2017 at 5pm online using the
Google Form . See
Information Sheet for details. What is the program about? Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars (SUSIs) are intensive post-graduate level academic programs with integrated study tours whose purpose is to provide foreign university faculty and other scholars the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 7 January, 2017 | Categories:
Education, News, Scholarships and Exchanges, Study in the U.S.
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Education, Exchanges, News, Scholars, Scholarships, Study in the U.S., Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators, SUSI
Apply by Friday January 20, 2017 at 5pm online using the
Google Form . See
Information Sheet for details. What is the program about? The Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators (Teachers) is an intensive post-graduate level academic program with integrated study tours whose purpose is to provide foreign secondary educators the opportunity to deepen their understanding of ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 7 January, 2017 | Categories:
Education, News, Scholarships and Exchanges, Study in the U.S.
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Education, News, Scholarships and Exchanges, Study in the U.S., Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators, SUSI
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. In October, the United States Embassy in New Zealand brought together 140 Maori women from across the country for the Wahine Toa (“Women of Strength”) Leadership Conference, the culmination of two years of interviews and engagement with emerging female leaders from the ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 23 December, 2016 | Categories:
Auckland, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, Education, First People's Connect, Former U.S. Government Leaders, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Barack Obama, Nancy Gilbert, Wahine Toa
The latest Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Our next Wahine Toa feature is Rukumoana Schaafhausen from Ngāti Haua. Her ardent desire to help her community, her church, and her Māori people is central to her story as the longest standing trustee for Waikato Tainui Te Kauhaunganui Inc, ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 21 December, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, U.S. & New Zealand, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Kiingitanga, Nancy Gilbert, Wahine Toa, Waikato Tainui
Guest post by Kubi Witten-Hannah. PART 2 (
read PART 1 here ). My campus tour was an intense experience. It started on the 15th July at Rutgers, New Brunswick and finished 9 days later at Rutgers, Newark. It covered a total of 18 Universities and 22 campuses. It was a really well put together tour with a mix ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 15 December, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Education
| Tags: ACAC, Ambassador Gilbert, Auckland Careers Advisor, EducationUSA, IACAC, International ACAC, Katie Sleeman, Kubi Witten-Hannah, National Association for College Admission Counseling
Guest post by Kubi Witten-Hannah (
read PART 2 here ). International ACAC (IACAC) was founded in 1991 and is affiliated with the US based National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). IACAC brings together over 2,000 professionals from more than 90 countries worldwide. The membership includes school counsellors and university liaison staff to work cooperatively to help students access postsecondary ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 14 December, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Education
| Tags: ACAC, Ambassador Gilbert, Auckland Careers Advisor, EducationUSA, IACAC, International ACAC, Katie Sleeman, Kubi Witten-Hannah, National Association for College Admission Counseling
The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release December 07, 2016 President Obama spoke yesterday by phone with Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand to thank him for the close friendship and partnership the two leaders have enjoyed over the last eight years. During that time, U.S.-New Zealand cooperation reached unprecedented ...
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By Mike Cousins | 8 December, 2016 | Categories:
Former U.S. Government Leaders, Key Documents, Key Officials, News
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Barack Obama, Climate Change, conservation challenges, Prime Minister John Key, White House
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Kerensa Johnston is an accomplished lawyer who passionately advocates for Indigenous and human rights. Her stellar career spans from the halls of academia to the court room and led to her recent appointment as first female CEO of Wakatū Incorporated. Wakatū is ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 6 December, 2016 | Categories:
Agriculture, Connecting with Kiwis, First People's Connect, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Kerensa Johnston, Māori heritage, Māori Women’s refuge, Nancy Gilbert, Nelson, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama, Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Te Tau Ihu iwi, Wahine Toa, Wakatū, Wellington Community Law Centre
The American Dream: Myth or Reality?” Guest Blog by Lisa Mave on the 2016 Program of the Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) Lisa Mavé is an alumna of the
SUSI program in June/July of 2016. Lisa is Head of the Social Sciences Faculty at St Cuthbert’s College in Auckland. She is responsible for coordinating the ...
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By Mike Cousins | 28 November, 2016 | Categories:
Alumni, Education, Scholarships and Exchanges, Study in the U.S.
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Geography, History, Myth or Reality, Social Sciences Faculty, Social Studies, St. Cuthbert’s College, Study of the United States Institutes, SUSI, SUSI program, Urbana-Champaign
From stuff.co.nz – America has come to Kaikoura – and they’re lending a hand to quake-hit locals. Sailors from the warship USS Sampson had arrived to help out as recovery efforts gathered steam in the town, which bore the brunt of a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday.
Read the full article here . Our Coverage: An interview with CDR Tim LaBenz, Commanding ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 17 November, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Emergency Services, News
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, CDR Tim LaBenz, Earthquake, Kaikoura, natural disasters, New Zealand Civil Defence, NZ Defence Force, USS Sampson
This week marks the 17th Annual
International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, which celebrates and promotes the benefits of international education and exchange programs worldwide. Initially created so that America could inspire its students to travel abroad, IEW now encourages and supports foreign students interested ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 17 November, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Education
| Tags: #IEW2016, Ambassador Gilbert, Case Western Reserve University, IEW, International Education Week, Teague McKenna Harvey, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of State, University of Auckland
A message about the recent earthquake from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington. What happened? A M7.5 earthquake occurred northeast of Culverdon, New Zealand at 00:02 NZDT on 14 November 2016. Strong shaking was felt throughout New Zealand and lasted for over two minutes in some locations, and there have been aftershocks. However, while this event has had a significant ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 16 November, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Messages for U.S. Citizens, News
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Earthquake, eqnz, Kaikoura, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington
Just after the strong midnight earthquake shook New Zealand, the United States embassy Wellington went to work to help assess the damage and assist those in need. We successfully connected with all embassy staff and families, and while some minor breakages and small cracks are apparent, everyone is safe and accounted for. We quickly saw ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 14 November, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Former Ambassadors, News, U.S. & New Zealand
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, North Canterbury Earthquake
By Alex Dunlap, Winter Fellow, U.S. Consulate General, Auckland. The Baseball New Zealand 13 and under team recently completed tournament play in the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Maryland. This year, the tournament field consisted of 10 champions from across the United States and 8 international teams representing Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, the ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 29 August, 2016 | Categories:
Auckland, Connecting with Kiwis, Former Ambassadors, Sports Diplomacy, Youth Outreach
| Tags: Aberdeen, Alex Dunlap, Ambassador Gilbert, Auckland, Baseball New Zealand, Cal Ripken World Series, Chicago White Sox, Maryland, Sports Diplomacy, Study in the U.S., The Fieldhouse, U.S. Consulate General, Winter Fellow, Youth Outreach
By Mara Hosoda and Victoria Triegaardt, Public Affairs U.S. Consulate Auckland and U.S. Embassy Wellington. The U.S. Embassy in New Zealand has run the U.S.-New Zealand Youth Council program since 2010. The program is based on the university structure with a student group at the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, Victoria University of ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 18 May, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Education, U.S. & New Zealand, U.S. Consulate Auckland, U.S. Embassy Wellington, Youth Outreach
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Auckland University of Technology, Craig Halbmaier, Robert Tate, U.S.-New Zealand Youth Council, University of Auckland, University of Canterbury, University of Otago, USNZYouthCouncil, Victoria University of Wellington
Ambassador Gilbert and Consul General Higgins met with migrants and resettled refugees in Auckland yesterday to learn about their adjustment to life as “Kiwis.” Participants were complimentary of support from the Ministry of Social Development and Umma Trust, which run programs to help refugees to settle in Aotearoa. Participants said overall they were very grateful ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 24 March, 2016 | Categories:
Auckland, Child and Family Matters, Connecting with Kiwis, Consulate General, Former Ambassadors, Human Rights, News
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Consul General Higgins, Ministry of Social Development, refugees, Umma Trust
By Mara Hosoda, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Consulate, Auckland. The University of Waikato Law School—Te Piringa in partnership with the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School invited Ambassador Gilbert to meet law students and give the annual Krinock Lecture on February 2, 2016.
Ambassador Gilbert’s lecture was entitled “Turning countries and businesses into people: the ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 10 February, 2016 | Categories:
Connecting with Kiwis, Education, Former Ambassadors, Scholarships and Exchanges, U.S. & New Zealand, U.S. Consulate Auckland
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Cooley Law School, Krinock Lecture, Te Piringa, University of Waikato, University of Waikato Law School, Western Michigan University, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School
Guest blog post by Rachel Harris and Jonathan Gee. As burgeoning business leaders move into the world, bridging the gap between one generation and the next is of vital importance. The State Department was proud to fund and support the Tuākana Youth Mentoring Program run by NGO Leadership New Zealand and the Fulbright New Zealand ...
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By Mike Cousins | 8 December, 2015 | Categories:
Alumni, Art & Culture, Business, Connecting with Kiwis, Former U.S. Government Leaders, Public Affairs
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Barack Obama, Claire McQuilken, Guy Ryan, Jonathan Gee, Leadership New Zealand, Mentor, Mentoring, Nancy Gilbert, Rachael Harris, Tuākana, Victoria University of Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association, VUWSA, Young New Zealander of the Year
