Mrs Bev Watson, of Auckland, ONZM for services to race relations and youth
Mrs Bev Watson, of Auckland, ONZM for services to race relations and youth
Bev Watson has worked to design, implement and sustain the Race Unity Speech Awards and Hui, a national annual speech competition on the importance of race unity. She is Director of the competition, which now extends to hundreds of secondary schools. She was a member of the Executive of the National Council of Women and of the National Executive for the United Nations Association New Zealand. She was instrumental in establishing the Human Rights Network and was its co-founder and first secretary. As a member of this network, she has raised awareness of a range of issues. She has advocated for families of the Iranian diaspora and members of the Baha’i minority religion in Iran. Mrs Watson helped draft the first National Statement on Religious Diversity.