E nga rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui mai nei I tenei wā, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. He mihi nui ki a koutou ngā rangatahi i tēnei rā.
Nau mai, haere mai ra ki Te Whare o te Kawana Tinara o Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
I would like to begin by specifically acknowledging: Ken Hames, Board Chair, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award; Emma Brown, Chief Executive, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award; Emily Fabling, Board Member, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award; Councillor Gabriel Tupou, Board Member, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award; Alexander Hillary, Sir Edmund Hillary’s grandson; Kaz Yung, Hutt City Councillor; Anita Baker, Mayor of Porirua City Council; Squadron Leader Bruce Sinclair, NZ Cadet Forces
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Finally, and most importantly, I would also like to acknowledge the recipients of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Gold Award, and your families, who have gathered here today for this very special occasion.
Today represents the culmination of many years of dedication, tenacity and commitment to bettering yourselves and the lives of those around you. You have completed each task set out for you with great care and determination, and I hope you felt immense pride as you received your award earlier in the ceremony.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award was established, in the words of the late Prince Philip, to help individuals ‘discover fresh interests and make new friends, and find satisfaction in giving service to others.’
There is perhaps nobody who embodies these ideals better than Sir Edmund Hillary, for whom the Award was renamed to honour in 2009. Sir Ed dared to think beyond the realms of possibility and used his success to give back to those who had aided him in his pursuits.
Sir Ed expressed this sentiment best when he said, ‘People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.’
It is to the credit of this Award that many young New Zealanders have found their passion and developed a sense of adventure and service. It has possessed you not only with the skills to succeed, but the courage and perseverance to strive for greatness.
I am heartened to see so many young people still taking up the challenge first laid down by The Duke of Edinburgh in 1956 – and know that your sense of adventure, pursuit of excellence, and commitment to the service of others is stronger for having completed the Award.
Congratulations, once again, on this very special achievement. I wish you all the very best for the future and implore you to keep hold of those values of hard work, camaraderie and appreciation for the natural world as you go.
Kia kaha, kia manawanui, kia ora huihui tātou katoa.