Unitec Unitec has come on board as the Principal Sponsor for Auckland Pride Festival 2014. “This exciting new partnership will allow Unitec to publicly recognise and celebrate diversity,” says Unitec Chief Executive Dr Rick Ede. “We are honoured to join with the Auckland Pride Festival to help them develop the mana and standing of the Rainbow Community in Auckland and Aotearoa at large.” The Pride team says the partnership has a broad variety of benefits, including enabling the event to raise its brand profile and extend its marketing reach. It says Unitec staff and students will be able to engage in different aspects of the Festival’s programme and production. Unitec has also offered the use of its facilities and will host the LGBTI Youth Leadership Conference that is being developed with the support of the US Embassy, during Pride’s opening weekend. “We’re thrilled that Unitec has come onboard as our principal partner for next year’s Auckland Pride Festival,” says Auckland Pride Festival Trust co-chair Megan Cunningham-Adams. “Gaining the active support of New Zealand’s leading institute of technology represents a coming of age for our Rainbow Community’s pre-eminent cultural celebration. The Unitec team is full of passion and enthusiasm and ready to provide the resources we need to take the Festival and Parade to the next level in 2014.” Unitec staff and students will enter a Unitec float in the Auckland Pride Parade and there will also be opportunities for students to work as interns in the lead-up to the Festival. The institution has an Ally Network on campus, an initiative that aims to create a more inclusive working and learning environment by promoting greater awareness of lgbti staff and students. “The Ally Network is really excited that Unitec is sponsoring the Auckland Pride Festival in 2014,” says Merryn Statham, Manager Partnerships
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 3rd December 2013 - 12:27pm