WIPCE 2025 Opens in Aotearoa With Historic Gathering of Indigenous Educators

Auckland welcomed more than 3,000 Indigenous knowledge holders, educators and leaders on November 16 as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei hosted a powerful pōwhiri to open the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE 2025). The event is being hosted by Auckland University of Technology (AUT), marking the first time in two decades that Aotearoa has welcomed the global conference.

With 3,800 registered delegates, WIPCE 2025 is poised to become the largest academic conference ever held in New Zealand and the country’s biggest gathering of the year. The opening ceremony set a strong tone for a week centred on Indigenous knowledge, language, and educational sovereignty.

“This gathering comes at a pivotal moment for Indigenous education and Indigenous rights globally,” said WIPCE Co-Chair Meihana Durie. “Yesterday’s pōwhiri highlighted the depth of meaning carried through ceremony, language and ritual.”

Representatives from countries across the world have travelled to Auckland for the conference. Marama Royal, Heawahine (Chairperson) of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, said hosting the opening was a moment of pride: “As tangata whenua of central Tāmaki, we were honoured to welcome the many Indigenous nations to our lands.”

Following the pōwhiri, more than 4,000 delegates joined the Parade of Nations, moving from Queen Street to Aotea Square in a vibrant display of cultural identity. Dressed in traditional attire, participants represented at least 20 countries, filling the city centre with colour, songs, and symbols of their homelands.

Durie described the parade as “a potent expression of unity,” reinforcing the conference’s kaupapa rooted in tikanga Māori and shared Indigenous values. WIPCE International Council Chair Dr Noe Noe Wong-Wilson said the welcome was deeply moving: “WIPCE is the only educational platform created specifically for Indigenous peoples to share our stories, challenges and successes. Being welcomed in the Māori way was emotionally powerful.”

Public celebrations continued at the Te Ao Pūtahi Festival, featuring performances by Ngā Tūmanako, Sons of Zion, Corrella, Jackson Owens, Betty-Anne, IA and Seth Haapu. The free festival offers cultural workshops, storytelling sessions, kai, and Indigenous craft stalls, and will run daily until November 20.

The main WIPCE programme begins today, showcasing a distinguished lineup of speakers including Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Dr Mere Skerrett, Associate Professor Jeffrey Ansloos, Dr Teina Rongo, and actor Cliff Curtis. Co-Chair Damon Salesa said the breadth of speakers reflects the global momentum behind Indigenous-led education: “Each kaikōrero brings a unique perspective. This conference is an opportunity to listen, learn and be inspired.”

More than 3,000 delegates will also participate in 21 cultural excursions across Tāmaki Makaurau, from waka sailing on the Waitematā Harbour to traditional hāngī experiences—offering an immersive introduction to te ao Māori and the region’s cultural heritage.

WIPCE 2025 will continue until November 20, closing with a final ceremony and karakia, concluding a week dedicated to learning, connection and kōtahitanga (unity).

Courtesy : https://www.aut.ac.nz/