• Auckland Climate Festival will light up Taamaki Makaurau from today until 29 September 2023
• 150+ activations, events, pop-ups, offerings, and gatherings will take place throughout the city during the Festival
• The opening ceremony celebrates the theme gifted by Iwi host Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, Ngaa hua o Wai, and features keynotes from Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick and Cr Richard Hills.

August 31 2023: Auckland Climate Festival Te Huinga Aahuarangi o Taamaki Makaurau, in partnership with Iwi host Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, launches today with a powerful dawn ceremony at the Botanic Gardens. The launch celebrates the theme gifted by Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, Ngaa hua o Wai, and features keynotes from Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick and Cr Richard Hills, along with performances from Te Whānau Āwhina, Clendon Park School, and bi-lingual duo Aro.

Today’s launch marks the beginning of a month-long celebration of climate action, with 150+ events, initiatives, activations, offerings and gatherings including film screenings, biking events, clean-ups, ethical fashion, economy workshops, and so much more. Tens of thousands of Aucklanders and visitors to the city will participate in the Festival, and by doing so will help accelerate climate action - whether they are individuals making more conscious consumer decisions or major entities influencing Government policy.

ACF founder Michelle Kennedy says there are numerous different ways to engage in climate action. “We can all play our part in accelerating climate action, and by working together we raise awareness and understanding around what needs to be done, and how fast. Coming together for a concentrated period of time means we can drive deep change, because collective action will always be greater than the sum of its parts.”

This year’s theme, Ngaa hua o Wai, is an invitation into a unified, regenerative and life-giving climate response. The theme is celebrated within the Festival through events inviting participants to interact with Wai, including through Waka Ama, the cleaning up of waterways, music and film on Wai, and events led by those most impacted by climate change.

Kennedy says: “The scale of climate change can be overwhelming. We can feel disconnected because it is so big. But connecting with Wai helps us reconnect with ourselves, each other, and our place in Aotearoa. And this is where the shifts will take place, as we learn to be good ancestors, lean into the changes we are able to make, and together create real impact.”

There are a number of WhatsOn guides for Festival goers, showcasing events by the area of interest. The guides are:

• Kickstarting my climate journey
• Volunteering, Wellbeing & Nature for Climate
• Election, Politics & Activism for Climate
• Film & Creative Arts for Climate
• Urbanism & Transport for Climate
• Kai & Gardening for Climate
• Whaanau and Rangatahi for Climate
• Business & Industry for Climate

Auckland Climate Festival was founded two years ago, in response to the urgent need to accelerate climate action across Aotearoa and the globe. It is a whole-of-society approach to tackling climate change, recognising that we can all make positive changes - whether big or small - and together accelerate action.

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