Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is welcoming 3,800 Indigenous leaders, educators and advocates for the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) 2025, returning to Aotearoa for the first time in 20 years.
Held from 16–20 November at the Aotea Centre, the global gathering opens with a pōwhiri followed by a vibrant Parade of Nations, where delegates from more than 20 cultures will walk down Queen Street in traditional kākahu, marking a powerful celebration of identity and unity.
In a joint message, WIPCE 2025 Co-Chairs Dr Noe Noe Wilson-Wong, Dr Bentham Ohia, Professor Damon Salesa and Professor Meihana Durie noted: “WIPCE is about celebrating and affirming a shared sense of Indigenous determination and unity.” They added that the event invites participants to “draw inspiration from the power of Indigenous ceremony, language, culture and scholarship.”
Professor Meihana Durie highlighted the global relevance of the conference, saying: “Although Indigenous rights remain under immense threat, this gathering unites educators and champions from across the world to transcend barriers and achieve transformative outcomes for Indigenous education.”
WIPCE 2025 is set to be the largest academic conference ever hosted in New Zealand, generating an estimated NZD 8.275 million for Auckland and more than 16,600 visitor nights, according to Tātaki Auckland Unlimited CE Nick Hill. “This gathering reflects our identity as the world’s largest Māori and Polynesian city,” he said.
The programme features keynote voices including Distinguished Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Professor Leonie Pihama, Dr Teina Rongo, and actor-producer Cliff Curtis.
A free community festival, Te Ao Pūtahi, will run in parallel at Aotea Square, offering kapa haka, live music, kai, workshops and storytelling for the wider public.