NZPF Celebrates Hosting Rights To International Conference

President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF), Leanne Otene, is delighted to announce that the NZPF proposal to host the International Confederation of Principals’ (ICP) Convention in 2026, has been successful.

"We are so excited that the ICP Council, representing 52 member countries, favoured our proposal, which means we will be hosting up to 3,000 school principals from across the globe, in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in two years’ time," said Otene.

The Convention will be held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in September 2026 and will be a celebration of education in Aotearoa New Zealand, showcasing the diversity of our country’s young people and, by way of te Tiriti o Waitangi, our unique partnership with Māori.

"Schools are the centre of embracing different cultures and are building a generation that’s much more tolerant of difference." said Otene. "This is something that especially impressed the ICP Council’s decision. Aotearoa New Zealand is seen as leading edge in cultural relations," she said.

"Chair of the ICP Council, Dr Peter Kent from the UK, in revealing the Convention 2026 host said that Aotearoa New Zealand was a most popular choice," said Otene. "From the feedback we have since received, I would agree with Dr Kent," she said.

The event has support from Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB), a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme. Letters of support were received from principals across the country and the Mayor of Auckland, the former Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti and former Prime Minister, Hon Chris Hipkins.

"Hosting the Convention in New Zealand will expose school principals to world leading researchers, including our own New Zealand educational experts, and delegates will have the opportunity to visit schools in Tāmaki Makaurau to see first-hand our unique pedagogy at work," she said.

Otene says principals around the world are facing similar issues to us, including declining attendance and student achievement post-Covid, plus dealing with the challenges of AI.

"ICP is a forum for educators to share ideas and best practice and see what’s working elsewhere in the world," she said, "so we are expecting some lively debates."

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