Flagship Youth Programme Extends Iconic Links

His Excellency The Governor General The Honourable Anand Satyanand announced at a gathering in Wellington on Thursday 20 August, that The Young New Zealanders’ Challenge of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in New Zealand, will be now known as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award.

Through input from the wider community and by distilling the hundreds of submissions received as to the most appropriate forms of lasting recognition of Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealand Government agreed upon five initiatives. One strongly endorsed initiative was acknowledgement through a youth programme.

The Young New Zealanders’ Challenge was identified as the appropriate partner to honour the memory of the late Sir Edmund Hillary. The linkage between the iconic Youth Programme and the iconic Sir Edmund Hillary is seen as positively providing a lasting form of recognition amongst New Zealanders.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award is part of The International Family of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which has, since its inception in 1956, become the pre-eminent Youth Programme of Choice Internationally with a presence in 126 countries. 5,000 young New Zealanders aged 14 – 25 years enrol annually at the Bronze, Silver or Gold Level of the Award.

Chairman Mr Andrew Meehan said “There are natural and obvious links between our Programme and Sir Edmund Hillary – adventure, achievement, community commitment, development and improvement of oneself, the striving to achieve the goal!”

Present at the launch of the new name were June Lady Hillary, Peter Hillary and his wife Yvonne Oomen, their son Alexander Hillary, the Honourable Paula Bennett Minister of Youth Affairs, Ms Sue Walker, Asia Pacific Director of The International Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, participants in the Programme, representatives from groups that deliver The Award Programme and National Youth Organisations.

ENDS