Unitec announced as Principal Sponsor

Auckland Pride Festival Trust – Media Release

Monday 2 December 2013

Unitec announced as Principal Sponsor for Auckland Pride Festival 2014

The Auckland Pride Festival Trust is delighted to announce that Unitec will be principal sponsor of the 2014 Auckland Pride Festival and Parade. The partnership reflects Unitec's ongoing commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture across all three of its campuses.

“This exciting new partnership will allow Unitec to publicly recognise and celebrate diversity,” says Dr Rick Ede, Chief Executive of Unitec. “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 new partnership offers a broad variety of benefits to the Auckland Pride Festival and Parade. Unitec’s support will enable the annual celebration of Rainbow Community culture and identity to raise its brand profile and extend its marketing reach. It creates exciting opportunities for Unitec staff and students to engage across different aspects of the Festival’s programme and production.

Unitec has also offered the use of its impressive facilities for Auckland Pride Festival events and activities. Across the Festival’s opening weekend, the magnificent carved wharenui and lecture theatres at Unitec’s Mt Albert campus will become venues for an innovative and transformative LGBTI Youth Leadership Conference that is being developed with the support of the US Embassy.

“We’re thrilled that Unitec has come onboard as our principal partner for next year’s Auckland Pride Festival,” says Megan Cunningham-Adams, Auckland Pride Festival Trust co-chair.

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“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 be working together to design and build an inspiring Unitec float for the Auckland Pride Parade and there will also be opportunities for students to work as interns in the lead-up to the Festival.

Unitec delivers an extensive range of programmes from Creative Industries and Business, to Social and Health Sciences, to Technology and Built Environment, so there are a myriad of ways that staff and students can get actively involved in the Festival – from digital marketing and conference coordination right through to participating in dance and theatre performances.

In 2012, Unitec made a stand for diversity on campus by implementing the Ally Network Programme, an initiative that aims to create a more inclusive working and learning environment by promoting greater awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) staff and students.

The Ally Network is made up of LGBTI and non-LGBTI staff and students who publicly identify themselves and actively create a safe place for staff and students to support diverse sexualities and genders. Unitec is the first New Zealand tertiary institution to implement the programme.

“The Ally Network is really excited that Unitec is sponsoring the Auckland Pride Festival in 2014,” says Merryn Statham, Manager Partnerships & Community Engagement at Unitec.

“Through our engagement with the Festival we hope to generate greater awareness, visibility and support of LGBTI staff and students. We are anticipating the partnership will have a really positive impact on people’s perceptions and we encourage everyone to get involved.”

The Auckland Pride Festival is New Zealand’s biggest and best programme of events for and by the Rainbow Community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Takatāpui, Intersex and Fa’afafine). The 2014 Festival will run from Friday 7 February until Sunday 23 February, right across the Auckland region.

Registration forms for Festival events and activities are now available on the Auckland Pride Festival website. Event registrations will close on Monday 23 December 2013. Please contact Festival Director Julian Cook to discuss your event or activity before completing the registration form: festival@aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

Registration forms for Parade entrants are also available on the website. Parade registrations will close on Friday 17 January 2014 – if not earlier, as space is limited. To ensure your group or organisation does not miss out, please contact Parade Director Richard Taki at your earliest convenience: parade@aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

Keep watching the Auckland Pride Festival website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news and updates as the Auckland Pride Festival 2014 continues to develop!

Website: www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AkldPrideFest

Twitter: twitter.com/AkldPrideFest

ENDS

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