On a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Government House Auckland, Dame Cindy hosted a ceremony for graduates of New Zealand Olympic Committee Wāhine Toa Leadership Programme.
The programme was launched in 2017 to support women moving from competitive sports into leadership positions. Participants are wāhine who have participated in Olympic, Paralympic or Commonwealth Games and have a strong commitment to advocating for women and girls in sport. The programme aims to equip participants with leadership skills through a range of practical activities such as mentoring, residential workshops, and hearing from guest speakers.
As patron of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Dame Cindy enjoyed meeting these inspirational wāhine and their families, and hearing about their leadership commitments and aspirations for the future.
To find more images from the event, please visit the image gallery for the graduation ceremony for the New Zealand Olympic Committee 2026 Wāhine Toa Programme.
And to read Dame Cindy's full speech, please visit Her Excellency's speech from the graduation ceremony for the New Zealand Olympic Committee 2026 Wāhine Toa Programme.