This page features computer generated text of the source audio. It may contain errors or omissions, so always listen back to the original media to confirm content. You can search the text using Ctrl-F, and you can also play the audio by clicking on a desired timestamp.
I'm Barry Tanner and I'm the conference convenor. So my job is to oversee the whole conference organising the conference. That's been a few years in the making, hasn't it? Yes, two years since Hamish twisted my arm and I foolishly said yes, but yes, What's that been like? Uh, it's been I describe it as like trying to do a PhD. Sometimes you loved it and other times you've absolutely hated it. But the last two days has just made it everything so worthwhile. But even in doing that, uh, the the [00:00:30] the group that came together from from Wellington people to organise that all the different organisations who have organised the different streams has been a really great experience. There's been, um, people have worked together to bring this to the to what we've had in the last few days, how many people have been on the organising committee? There was a core group of, uh, 12, which we call the oversight group, so that was represented from each stream. But in all, there would have been about 20 [00:01:00] who have contributed to the organising of the the event. And this was all volunteer work. All volunteers, all of us got other jobs. So it was incredible generosity of people and the time. So how much time personally would you have actually spent on this conference? But much of my waking hours sometimes and many of my holidays and weekends have been involved, even if it's not actually doing it's thinking about it and what needs to be done. [00:01:30] Uh, but certainly in the last, uh, five months, it's taken up a lot of my time. What have some of the issues been in in putting together this conference? Uh, well, once again, I think, Well, it was just trying to get the the the range of networks outside New Zealand. So we and that's been a discussion here is that there has been no umbrella organisation, so it's very hard to try and get the word out to, particularly around Asia and that, uh, trying to identify keynote speakers that [00:02:00] were representative. So it wasn't just all sort of males from New Zealand sort of thing. Uh, that was a challenge, the other one, of course, although we've been greatly, uh, rewarded in terms of funding, was actually getting funding to enable the people from, uh, Asian Pacific to be here. So it was truly a representative conference. What are the keys to a successful conference? Uh, I think it's about creating the space where [00:02:30] people, uh uh, stories or their work is heard so that I think it has been about, uh, clear ideas about what you want out of it and conveying that to the people. Uh, it's about communicating and and and making people feel welcomed. Uh, and that's what we've tried to do in our hospitality. Uh, and in the pre lead up to the conference, uh, but and and I think that what [00:03:00] people is our responsiveness. So we try and respond as soon as possible to queries so people feel that they're being valued and that what they will be doing at the conference is valuable. Can you talk about the last two days? So we're two days into the conference now. How have they been? They've just been mind blowing. Look, I've organised lots and lots of conference over the years, international and such like, um, and I was just sharing this with one of the speakers. Uh, I think the power of it has been because [00:03:30] it's personal, like a lot of my conferences are professional, but this was also about me as a person. And that's what's been so great. The stories, Uh, not only the last few days, but the, uh, the pre conference, uh, transfer over 100 people there. Just powerful stories. And, um, once again, it's just people coming up to me from the different countries, grateful because of the scholarships, like the one person from Korea and just being overwhelmed by the experience of what it's [00:04:00] been life changing for people and and that and and it's once again, it's the experience of people coming together. And I think that's the value of conferences. We can talk about cyber conferencing and the importance of it. But it's people you know that face to face you can never underestimate. What are the things that you will take away from this? Uh, I'll take away once again the importance of, at times people coming [00:04:30] together to be strengthened. A lot of the people are working in isolation. Uh, and so the importance of doing that, uh, once again stories are of horror about what has gone on. For instance, trans people in Fiji that is close, but we never hear about what's been going these invisible stories. And yet this the importance of those and also, I suppose, just this generous, um, goodwill and and spirit here that I won't forget [00:05:00] for a long time. Have you noted any kind of similarities between people from different countries in terms of their experiences have have there been similar stories, or have there been differences? What I think there has been, uh, once again this it has been the experience of how at times, uh, ignorance and prejudice have affected people. Uh, and I think particularly the influence of religion. Uh uh, and And what we've seen [00:05:30] is the influence of American evangelicals across the Pacific and in Asia influencing local social debates about these issues. But also, what is the theme? Is this this, uh, and as with much human rights, this dogged passion and determination not to be beaten by that, uh, and, uh, the kind of the manner that people and pride that people stand. And I think it's when anyone, uh, finally [00:06:00] makes that statement becomes grounded in who they are. Then you cannot be stopped. And I think that has been important But once again what I think and that's been the value of the shearing, like in the plenary this morning. The diversity of Pacific Aboriginal and and then from Asia is that we also cannot just say we're all one, that the cultural context we must understand. And I think that's been really rich here. How many delegates All up? Uh, there's 315 [00:06:30] people were registered, so that's and and just about everyone's been here. So yeah, and can you describe the vibe, the feeling of this, uh, once again, you know, just it's been, uh, people. Everyone who's been coming to me saying It's just been a really positive vibe. Uh, we've been even getting feedback from the, uh, convention centre. People said, It's been a wonderful feeling at this conference. Uh, and I think, What? People, Once again, it's been a just a real sense of generosity and a sense [00:07:00] that excitement, because it's our stories being told and you can't beat that. So will you be organising one of these in the near future? Uh, not today, but, uh, what we have been talking about is the importance of taking this further and building on this. And, uh, there's discussions about how we're gonna do it and make it even a bigger and stronger Asia Pacific event. Finally, [00:07:30] if somebody is listening to this in 30 years time from the archive, um, what would you say to them? Once again, we have come a long way. Like if someone 25 years ago, when we we passed law reform would say what we have achieved, uh, we would be going. Oh, yeah. Well, uh, and but each story of liberation and that what rights people will have have been built on a past and never to forget that past and the the the passion of people [00:08:00] who have, uh, fought for that we must always honour. Yeah.
This page features computer generated text of the source audio. It may contain errors or omissions, so always listen back to the original media to confirm content.
Tags