Student CHOGM Dinner
May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the evening (Sign)
May I then specifically greet you: Darryl Stevens, President of the Royal Commonwealth Society and Commonwealth Trust (Wellington); Minister of the Crown, Hon Peter Dunne , Minister of Revenue; Paige Muggeridge, Secretary-General from New Plymouth Girls’ High School; Katja Keesterman, Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office from Queen Margaret College; Zanian Malepati, Assistant Secretary-General from St Peter’s College; Student Heads of Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.
It has been a great pleasure for my wife Susan and I to accept the invitation to be here for this evening’s Student State Commonwealth Heads of Government Dinner in Banquet Hall of the Executive Wing at Parliament.
We have listened with interest to the proceedings just prior to the Dinner when you all acted in positions of member countries of the Commonwealth. For my contribution I am going to request that you maintain the theatre by keeping the persona you adopted in the proceedings and that you have me address you as a New Zealander.
As Patron of the Society and as Governor-General of New Zealand I would like to take an opportunity to speak about the significance of the modern Commonwealth in the 21st century and its relevance to young people. I will do this in the manner of an orator on a marae in New Zealand, first establishing a place to stand because of my connection (this being my whakapapa), following this with my main address (being my whaikorero); and ending with a challenge (or wero)
As to whakapapa, I can reveal that for many years before coming to this role, my wife Susan and I were members of the Royal Commonwealth Society, attending through those years, a number of events and enterprises promoted by the Society. Additionally whilst an Ombudsman for 10 years, I received a brief to take part in the delivery of a Commonwealth Secretariat funded training programme for newly appointed Ombudsmen in various Commonwealth countries. Through that association I developed and have maintained a number of personal and professional contacts. At least one of the foregoing entitled me to wear a Commonwealth Secretariat tie as I do this evening. Having this established my place to stand I proceed to my whaikorero.
The timing of this dinner is particularly appropriate as it coincides with the start of work by an Eminent Person’s Group that is undertaking a thorough review of the Commonwealth.
The 10 person group, headed by former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had its first meeting in London in July and is seeking submissions from throughout the Commonwealth. I understand there is also an online survey, which closes on September 22, on the Commonwealth Secretariat website.
The Group was established at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, as the Commonwealth marked its 60th birthday and will report back to the next CHOGM to be held in Perth, Australia, in October 2011.
Like turning 40, reaching 60 years is a turning point in many people’s lives. It is a time when they take stock of what they have done and achieved, and what they want to do in the future. Similarly, the Commonwealth Heads of Government believed it should also be a time for the association to look afresh at its future.
If there has been a theme in the first 60 years of the Commonwealth’s existence, it has been that of perpetual change. Looking back, the Commonwealth has been transformed from an imperial gathering into what is today a free association of 53 independent states.
In 1949, when the London Declaration was issued, setting in train the creation of the modern Commonwealth, there were just eight members— Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Ceylon and the United Kingdom.
That select group is now represented by a variety of rich, poor, large and small nations. With a diverse range of ethnicities, cultures and religions represented, these nations co-operate for the common interest of their people and for the promotion of international understanding.
Beyond the history, language, sporting, parliamentary, legal and institutional ties, it is the values of the association that unify the 53 members. Those values are democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and equality—values that New Zealand places at the forefront of its international relations.
Since these values were formalised by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Singapore in 1971, the relevance of the association and its values has repeatedly been reaffirmed and consolidated. The point was well made a couple of years ago by Mohan Kaul, Director-General of the Commonwealth Business Association, in the following words: “A decade ago, debates about the relevance of the Commonwealth focused on overcoming its legacy, its outdated image as a collection of former British colonies. Few anticipated that a quiet revolution was already taking place which rendered this debate redundant. The Commonwealth was showing its remarkable resilience, reinventing itself by becoming a new global economic and political presence.”
When the London Declaration was issued, it established King George VI as Head of the Association, and also stated that is members would work for the “pursuit of peace, liberty and progress”. But what does that mean when for an organisation that now represents nearly two billion people, most of them living in republics and where half are under the age of twenty five?
Last year, the Royal Commonwealth Society completed the Commonwealth Conversation, a year long project that was the largest, global consultation ever undertaken between the peoples of the Commonwealth about their association.
The Society’s report, called An Uncommon Association, a Wealth of Potential, pulls no punches. While it found that the Commonwealth had unique strengths and had achieved much, particularly in the fight against apartheid in South Africa, it also found that the association needed to up its game. In blunt words it noted: “[I]f the Commonwealth is about values and principles, much more needs to be done to correct the perception that the association fails to “walk the talk”. Undemocratic regimes, human rights abuses and inequality are all too prevalent in the Commonwealth today. This perceived disconnect between word and action creates cynicism and disillusionment. It also allows misperceptions about what membership of the Commonwealth stands for today to breed unchecked.”
In particular, it urgently said the organisation needed to reach out to the youth of the Commonwealth. It said: “The Commonwealth must exist as a living, dynamic association for young people: one that they see acting in the world around them, making a difference, standing up for ideals and principles they believe in. If is reduced to a dry subject, a series of historical dates, facts and flags in schools, we risk perpetuating the perception that it is a thing of the past.”
It is for this reason that gatherings such this student CHOGM are so important as they give a new generation an insight into the Commonwealth and its work.
But then proceed to my wero or challenge for you. As a part of your deliberations you will no doubt discuss a variety of topics from the floods in Pakistan and aid policies through to the forthcoming Commonwealth Games and elections throughout the Commonwealth.
My wero or challenge is for you to consider your views as to the future of the Commonwealth. Many young people quite rightly note that their voice is often not heard in the decision-making process.
However, having been appointed to this student CHOGM you have been given a prime opportunity to ensure your views are heard. As well as taking the opportunity fill out the online questionnaire and encouraging others to do so; you may consider creating a short communiqué that gives the Eminent Person’s Group a steer on some practical steps the association needs to take as it looks to the next 60 years. As the Society’s report concluded: “It is imperative that those with ambition; those willing to challenge the status quo; those who want to see the Commonwealth thrive over the coming years continue to question, to push, to act.”
And with that call to action before you in my wero, I will close in New Zealand’s first language Māori, by offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your future endeavours. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa