Wellington launches advocate network

Wellington has launched the Wellington Advocate Network with local thought-leaders to expand its business events bids and impact. The network’s initial membership comprises a mix of academics representing the local arts, music, engineering, computer science, and health sectors, as well as national association representatives from the National Council for Women and Volunteering New Zealand. Business Events Wellington manager Irette Ferreira commented: “Business Events Wellington has strong, long-standing relationships with numerous key stakeholders [who] play a crucial role in securing these international events and creating new opportunities to represent Wellington globally.” “By formalising our relationship, we aim to recognise the positive benefits they bring to Wellington’s economy and society through their conferences.” Ferreira said with New Zealand’s borders now fully reopened and Wellington’s new central-city convention centre, Tākina, due to open in June 2023, the number of international bids has increased since the start of 2022; she added that Tākina already has more than 80 conferences booked. One of the Wellington Advocate Network’s inaugural members, Suzanne Manning, president of the National Council of Women New Zealand, will host the International Council of Women’s Executive Committee Meeting and Asia-Pacific Region Council Meeting in 2023. Long term, Manning hopes to bring the International Congress of the International Council of Women to the capital city. She said: “Bringing the conference to Wellington will allow our members to connect with the work that our sisters are doing around the world, and particularly strengthen our connections with Pacific nations.” Fellow advocate Brian Diettrich, senior lecturer in Ethnomusicology at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Music, is working with Business Events Wellington to bid for the International Conference on Traditional Music in 2025. He commented: “We envision that the 2025 World Conference will bring together scholars, performers, and students from across our region and globally in an inclusive and interactive meeting.” “Victoria University of Wellington and the NZ School of Music, this is an opportunity to extend our networks and collaborations globally.”