EHF’s final Welcome Experience sees 60 Fellows welcomed to the Fellowship & Aotearoa
17 May 2023In May, the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) welcomed 60 Fellows into the Fellowship during its final official Welcome Experience in Lower Hutt. Fellows participated in a three-day immersive experience, building meaningful connections and growing their understanding of Aotearoa as a bi-cultural nation and a basecamp for global impact
Te Āti Awa kaumātua Matiu Tahi addresses Fellows at the Pōhiri. Image by Fellow Chris Gagne.
The Welcome Experience began with a Pōhiri at Waiwhetū Marae, where Te Āti Awa Taranaki Whānui - EHF’s iwi partners - welcomed Fellows and supported their introduction to tikanga Māori (Māori protocols, practice) and Te Ao Māori (Māori world view). Fellows also experienced whakawhanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), where they introduced who they are and spoke to their whakapapa (genealogy). During the kōrero (discussion) Te Āti Awa kaumātua Matiu Tahi spoke about the role he plays of being a kaiwero, a challenger; seeking information and challenging manuhiri (visitors) on their intentions and purpose. Matiu eloquently likened the Fellows to kaiwero, and urged them to continue to be the challengers of the norms of today.
Te Āti Awa also generously gifted the group their name:
Ngaa Reo Wheko, which means the singing voices of the many manu (birds) in the forest, and is in reference to the many different voices of the Fellows representing their peoples. Each individual bird develops its own repertoire of sounds and can symbolise abundance, worthiness, warning, guardianship, prediction, awareness and adaptation.
Ngaa Reo Wheko in front of Waiwhetū Marae. Image by Fellow Chris Gagne.
With a diverse mix of Fellows from around the globe, including Kenya, Japan, Russia, the UK, USA, and Chile, to name a few, as well as New Zealand Fellows, Ngaa Reo Wheko brings connections, knowledge and experience from high-value sectors, ranging from autonomous vehicle technology, information and communications technology, space exploration, healthcare, and biotechnology, blockchain, AI, and regenerative agriculture, as well as Fellows who are disrupting and redesigning systems for social change and social justice.
The Welcome Experience was an opportunity for NZ Fellow Helen Leahy to galvanise her passion about the future of the Fellowship, as she discovered that she is an integral part of a like-minded, purpose-led community.
“I hadn’t anticipated that I would feel so grateful to be part of this network of people. But this weekend has shown me that I am part of a phenomenal group of people that goes beyond the confines of conventional thinking. I’m excited about the Fellowship and the potential for our collective impact after spending three amazing days with people who value diversity, who encourage courage, and who welcome inclusion.”
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and social change philanthropist, Helen Leahy. Image by Chris Gagne.
The sentiment of building meaningful connections with other Fellows was shared by Christine Moon (Hong Kong, USA), Co-Founder of Bluespace.ai (an autonomous vehicle technology company), who took inspiration from the outset of the weekend during the whakawhanaungatanga.
“I think from the get-go we were allowed the space to build strong connections with each other when we were asked ‘who are you’, and not ‘what do you do’. This framework set the tone for the whole weekend to build real connections, so that we can now go forward into the next chapter of the Fellowship, to incubate this energy and turn it into activation and impact.”
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and Co-Founder of Bluespace.ai, Christine Moon. Image by Chris Gagne.
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and venture capitalist Trushar Khetia (Kenya, India) has been thinking about the impact he can make within the New Zealand ecosystem.
“Kiwis are doing amazing things in a range of different spaces, and there is such a thriving entrepreneurial culture here in New Zealand. I see my role as an EHF Fellow as one of building meaningful connections within the NZ ecosystem and Kenya, which is where I am based. I can be a bridge that connects NZ ideas and businesses to the East African market.”
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and venture capitalist, Trushar Khetia introduces himself at the whakawhanaungatanga. Image by Chris Gagne.
Trushar was among many Fellows over the weekend thinking about the impact he can bring to NZ through the Fellowship. Space exploration entrepreneur and robotics expert Michael Sims (USA) can see great potential for investment in New Zealand-based tech innovation within his area of expertise.
“One of the most exciting things happening in space right now is that the economics are changing. And because the market prices have come down so much, it is an economic opportunity that is quite viable for conglomerates of smaller countries. I think the reason a country like NZ could consider an opportunity such as space is to invest in its people and in the high technology innovation that is thriving in this country.”
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and Space exploration entrepreneur, Michael Sims and Fellow Anastasia Andrianova. Image by Chris Gagne.
Brazilian blockchain expert Thiago Canellas has recently moved to New Zealand through the Fellowship, and found Te Ao Māori learnings from the Welcome Experience to be beneficial to his understanding of his new home.
“Being offered this insight into the Māori culture and to have this in-depth discussion about NZ history has been really important to me, and is helping me to understand how to be an ally, a good Te Tiriti [treaty] partner to New Zealand. Learning about how NZ operates as a bi-cultural nation to make the country grow for everyone is going to help me to navigate the ecosystem here, and to help me build meaningful, intentional connections.”
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and blockchain expert, Thiago Canellas and Fellow Yi Lu. Image by Chris Gagne.
Similarly, serial entrepreneur Jeni Mayorskaya (Russia, USA) has taken into consideration Te Ao Māori / the Māori world view and has started to think about how she can incorporate this into making an impact in Aotearoa NZ.
“The most powerful part of this weekend has been learning about Māori culture and the Māori local economy, learning about the political situation, and also about what Kiwis think are the right factors and opportunities. As an international Fellow, I can’t just come here for a few days and say ‘I’ve figured it out and I’m going to tell you exactly how to do it’. It’s imperative to connect with locals to identify the opportunities and figure out how we can work together.”
Ngaa Reo Wheko Fellow and entrepreneur, Jeni Mayorskaya. Image by Chris Gagne.
Hillary Institute and Edmund Hillary Fellowship CEO, Rosalie Nelson notes that the Welcome Experience is designed to create a sense of belonging and is an opportunity for Fellows to develop deep connections with each other; it is also an experience to help build an understanding of Aotearoa as a bi-cultural nation, based on Te Tiriti o Waitangi as New Zealand’s founding constitutional document. Reflecting on the final official Welcome Experience, Rosalie commented on the sense of journey the Fellows have experienced.
“For many of the Fellows present this weekend, it has been a long journey to get here. Many have experienced various delays due to border closures and scheduling interruptions, so I commend each of them for their determination to see it to the end of this particular chapter. With this being the final official Welcome Experience, the weekend also signifies the time for the Hillary Institute and EHF to now move forward to our next focus of activating the Fellowship. Being able to offer our Fellows an understanding of Aotearoa as a bi-cultural nation, and what it looks like to honour Te Tiriti really lays the foundation for this next chapter.”
Rosalie also acknowledged the presence of some significant people from the EHF journey at this final official Welcome Experience, including co-founders, their partners, former-board and team members, supporters and Fellows from previous cohorts.
“I want to extend a heartfelt mihi (gratitude) to our co-founders Yoseph Ayele, Brian Monahan, and Mark Prain (Hillary Institute), for being with us this weekend. And also to Songyi Lee, Alina Siegfried, Andre Robertson-Bate, Joshua Vial, fellow Fellows Chris Gagné, Shay Wright, Topaz Adizes, Rod Oram, Faumuina Felolini Maria Tafuna’i, and Kay-Maree Dunn. EHF is a whānau, and their presence this weekend demonstrates the strength and significance of our connections with each other. I want to also acknowledge co-founder Matthew Monahan and former board chair Caitlin Powers who couldn’t be with us during the weekend.”
The EHF team acknowledges and is grateful to Te Āti Awa for their manaakitanga (hospitality, kindness, generosity, support), Mikaere Paki and Sharn Maree for their considered and heartfelt facilitation of the Welcome Experience and for generously sharing their mātauranga (knowledge), Isabella Katene for her insights as rangatahi (young person) and event support, Faumuina Felolini Maria Tafuna’i of Flying Geese, and co-facilitator Fellow Shay Wright, for their thought-provoking Treaty wayfinding expertise, Fellow Rod Oram and journalist Anna Fifield from The Washington Post for their insightful discussion about putting New Zealand into a global context, Fellow Topaz Adizes for the amazing live connection building experience, and Fellow Kat Lintott for filming support to capture Fellow insights.
As part of the wider Welcome Experience events programme, EHF is grateful to its partners Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Kāpiti Coast District Council, and ChristchurchNZ who have supported with in-person Business Days creating connections and helping grow understanding of New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem, regions and opportunities to create impact.