Mayor's Speech - Presentation of Education Award, Wellingtonian of the Year Awards

Member of Parliament, Mayor Brash, Dom Post General manager Paul Elenio and editor Bernadette Courtney; honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening. It is, as always, a pleasure to be here in the company of Wellington's brightest and best.

These awards go from strength to strength - like Wellington itself - and this occasion is becoming one of the cornerstone celebrations on our calendar.

We have a fantastic depth of talent across all fields and this is a wonderful opportunity to say to some of our leading Wellingtonians - congratulations on your achievements and thanks for all you are doing for this city.

This evening I am presenting the Education award. Wellington is a powerhouse of education, as befits a city known for its creativity. Students come here to be stimulated by ideas and fresh thinking.

It starts in our primary schools and flows through to our world-ranked universities, institutions like Toi Whakaari and professional training bodies. The thinking that develops in Wellington finds expression around the country and around the world.

We celebrate education here. That's why we turn the heart of the city over to graduating students at graduation time.

Education is the key to progress in a city which is seeking to expand and develop in high-tech and demanding areas. Education is our legacy to Wellingtonians of the future.

Education is, according to the writer G K Chesterton, "simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another".

And it is not just something for the young, as the thousands of Wellingtonians who have taken advantage of adult education opportunities will agree.

To borrow a phrase from John Dewey, an America philosopher: "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

Our three finalists represent different aspects of the education scene in Wellington. They all do very different jobs in vastly differing fields, but all act in the highest traditions of their calling.

And all of them deserve this award, as we will soon hear.

On behalf of Wellington City Council I'd like to thank everybody involved in the running of this evening, particularly the Dominion Post which has made these awards one of the high points of the year.

Congratulations to all the finalists across the categories. You have all done marvellous things in this city and region.

Even the two-thirds of you who don't win tonight can be secure in the knowledge that, unlike the prophet, you are very much appreciated in your own land.

Thank you.

The speech delivered may vary from this text.

Department Details:
Mayor's Office