The winner of the 2025 Race Unity Speech Awards is Jordyn Joy Pillay, from Ormiston Senior College, Auckland.
Jordyn's speech highlighted that diversity must be more than a moment - it must be a movement.
"I am the ocean I cannot be read I am calm and soothing and so accepting. Come to me ...I'll bring you peace. I see no difference. I'm home to fins and feathers, skin and scales ...home to many, I freely give. I welcome you warmly. Abide in me."
The awards were held at the Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae, Manukau Institute of Technology Ōtara Campus over the weekend and featured students from several schools across New Zealand.
This year's theme - 'Te Moana Nui o te Kanorau - The Great Ocean of Diversity' - highlights our need for the natural harmony that we see in the outdoors to be replicated in our society. The metaphor also talks to our strength being in our differences.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers is delighted to be the first Commissioner to attend the awards.
"Supporting initiatives like this represents our commitment to building trust and confidence with the diverse communities we serve," Commissioner Chambers says.
Police Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers, the chief judge of the awards, stressed the importance of providing a platform for rangatahi to discuss and share their thoughts on important societal issues.
"I am astonished by the quality of the speeches from our young people over the weekend," she says.
"As Police, we are proud to be supporting a platform for our young people to voice their aspirations and solutions."
Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo MNZM - National Partnerships Manager Ethnic, acknowledged the history of the award the partnership.
"As Iwi and Community Partnerships, we are honoured to have been supporters of these awards for nearly two decades. These awards offer us a meaningful platform to be highly visible amongst our youth and positively engage with them on issues that are important to them and their communities. Each year, we are inspired by the voices of our young people - who are leading us now and into the future," he says.
About the Awards
The Race Unity Speech Awards were established by the New Zealand Bahá'í Community in memory of race relations advocate and Bahá'í Faith member Hedi Moani. Organised by the New Zealand Bahá'í Community, a religious community dedicated to promoting the oneness of humanity at various levels, the Speech Awards is supported by the New Zealand Police, the Human Rights Commission, Foundation North, Manukau Institute of Technology, Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, Speech New Zealand, Hedi Moani Charitable Trust, and Studio Marque.
