Te Ao Earth Week is a celebration of the spring equinox and a call for environmental action. In Aotearoa New Zealand we are seeing rapid decline of our ecosystems and worldwide we are seeing huge increases in climatic extreme events. Te Ao Earth Week is about empowering people to take action for change. 
 

Rose Challies, CEO of Terra Nova Foundation, the charity behind the event says change can happen for the better and often surprisingly quickly, but it requires action by everyone that is meaningful and effective. She says ‘it’s not about doing something, it’s about doing something effective - and everyone, at home, in business and in the community needs to contribute. Te Ao Earth Week is an opportunity for people to find out what they can do and get inspiration to take action for change.’ 
 

The main event is a Speaker Series running from the 19th-24th Sept online at the Pūmanawa Gallery (Arts Centre, Ōtautahi Christchurch). Top experts will be speaking about what is effective action, with examples of how we can take steps to make a difference. Speakers include top economist Shamubeel Eaqub and impact investment leader Barry Coates from Mindful Money who will be speaking to how we can make an impact with our money and investments. Community and taiao leaders Anake Goodall, from Seed the Change, Mananui Ramsden, Chair Te Rūnaka o Koukourārata, and Vicki Buck, Climate Action Campus, will be talking about the roles we can take to connect with our earth and engage in climate action, whether you’re a young person/rangatahi or an elder/kaumatua or somewhere in between. 
 

Tim Loftus, NZ Merino and Grant Ryan, Cacophony Project, PurePods, are speaking to what it means to be an earth-aligned business. While digital leaders Ben Reid, founder of Memia, Jannat Maqbool, from Ecosystm and Kurt Janssen, founder/CEO of Orbica will be speaking about the role that data, tech, AI and XR can take for environmental change and our future resilience. And Rose Challies, Terra Nova CEO, Amy Carter, CEO of Christchurch Foundation and Hayley Guglietta, Avon Ōtākaro Network will be talking about what it takes to get large-scale change, to maximise impact through aligned cross sector, cross industry action and the work being carried out in greater Ōtautahi Christchurch. 
 

It is an exciting line-up with each day offering a new topic and inspired action for our planet. Going well beyond a talk-fest, this speaker series will follow-through with speakers and participants being part of task forces for environmental change. 
 

There is also an incredible exhibition of top wildlife photography in the Pūmanawa Gallery (Arts Centre, Ōtautahi Christchurch). Photographers include previous NZ Geographic Photographer of the Year Alden Williams, and award winning Larryn Rae, Toby Dickson and Crystal Brindle. The exhibition is a celebration of our wildlife and includes award winning photographs of the most incredible native wildlife and our interaction with it. Surrounded by native plants the images come to life and transport you to the beauty of our waters and landscapes - it is an exhibition not to be missed. Free entry for all, open 19th-24th September from 10am daily. 
 

Te Ao Earth Week is the premier event from the Terra Nova Foundation, a charity set up to drive environmental change and to support individuals, businesses and the community to engage in effective action. Set up in 2021 their website terranova.foundation is a new and growing resource for anyone wanting to take their first steps into meaningful action. Rose Challies, CEO, wants people to fully utilise their own individual contributions ‘we want people to reflect on what they can do to take action that is effective - everyone is unique, with different attributes, skills, connection, resources that can make a huge difference. Many people just don’t know where to start and we are here to help with that.’ 
 

The event is supported by Adgraphics, Nutrient Rescue, Kiwiflora Nurseries, Christchurch Foundation, Scratch, Art Boss and Sherwood-Work
 

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