Every year on 20 June, we mark World Refugee Day to honour the courage of millions of people who have been forced to leave their homes. Across Aotearoa New Zealand, events large and small were held to honour refugee-background communities, amplify their voices, and encourage connections.

Hamdi Kalif’s story is one of transformation: from a young girl in a refugee camp to a woman now helping others navigate their new lives in Aotearoa. She has turned hardship into hope – not just for herself, but for many new Kiwis.

Peter Scott was an Outward Bound instructor studying business when he applied to be an international delegate in 1996. Now our Pacific Programmes Lead, his first assignment was to southern Sudan in 1999.

For John Dyer, our newly elected National President, leadership has always been about service, resilience, and people.

This year's Moot case saw TechAnon appear before the International Criminal Court. Although a fictional case, it highlights real concerns about the use and misuse of artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and social media in modern warfare. It shows the effects of war in cities and the risks of targeting civilian objects.