Contemporary Māori Dance Performance And Indigenous Wānanga Set The Scene For Aotearoa’s Largest Ever Climate Event

The voices of Indigenous and First Nations’ people from across the world will be front and centre in a series of Adaptation Futures’ (AF2025) pre-event gatherings today.

AF2025 – the United Nation’s (UN) largest climate adaptation event – will officially open tomorrow at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. The event aims to accelerate international climate adaptation to protect vulnerable communities, businesses, and environments.

The Beca Art of Climate Conversation public outreach programme for AF2025 will be launched tonight with the South Island premiere of Atamira Dance Company's multimedia performance, Ka Tiri o te Moana. Held at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, this breathtaking live performance and installation choreographed by Louise Pōtiki Bryant, explores Kāi Tahu relationships with Te Moana Tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki (the Southern Ocean) and Ka Tiri o te Moana (Antarctica).

The programme is proving to be popular with many Christchurch locals registering for the conference and its side events, which include artists and scientists in conversation, exhibition tours, and workshops.

There are still plenty of ways for the public to get involved in AF2025, both online and in person. Several sessions will be livestreamed to the public including:

• The opening and closing plenaries (13 and 16 October).

• The Adaptation Fund’s Innovation Spotlight sessions and side events.

• A Christchurch Conversations session by Te Putahi Centre for Architecture & City Making on urban climate adaptation.

All programme information and viewing links can be found at adaptationfutures2025.com

This morning, an Indigenous/First Nations’ leadership wānanga was headed by Lisa Tumahai, Ngāi Tahu leader and deputy chair of the NZ Climate Commission, and Tagaloa Cooper, the climate change resilience director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and large Canadian and African First Nations’ delegations. The goal was to establish an Indigenous network to promote climate change adaptation.

Co-hosted by the United Nations World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP) and Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), AF2025 has a strong focus on Pacific and Indigenous innovation and leadership, in recognition of the huge impact of climate change on Pacific and Indigenous communities.

Tomorrow, the first keynote speaker of the event will be Cynthia Houniuhi, President of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), followed by the Tuvalu Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment, Hon. Dr Maina Talia. New Zealand Minister for the Environment Hon. Penny Simmons will speak at the opening and New Zealand Minister for Climate Change Hon. Simon Watts will close the event.

For more information visit: https://adaptationfutures2025.com/

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