Pacific youth recognised at Parliament

A new cohort of Pacific young people have been recognised at Parliament for their excellence across various sectors of New Zealand society at the 2022 Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards (PMPYA), said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.

“Pacific young people are a fast-growing and diverse group in Aotearoa New Zealand, with over 50 percent being younger than 25 years old.

“You may have heard me talk about our young people showcasing the six B’s: Brown, Brainy, Beautiful, Bicultural, Bilingual and Bold.

“These nine six B’s join an alumni of PMPYA recipients who have all contributed positively to Pacific Aotearoa and have been acknowledged by consecutive Prime Ministers since the inception of these awards, in 2010.  

“The nine Pacific young people being recognised across eight categories are a representation of this dynamic group and the talent, tautua and innovation they possess, as well as the contribution and service they make to their community, and nation.

“We had a high calibre of applicants this year, and the recipients are among the top echelon of Pacific young achievers in Aotearoa for being advocates for their language and culture, for leadership and entrepreneurship, for their efforts in the arts, education and the community.

“All of the 2022 recipients have created a positive impact on their chosen field in recent years, and they are an integral part of the Pacific community.

“Fa’afetai tele lava for being role models to other Pacific young people and for setting a precedent of excellence for them to follow – the future of Pacific Aotearoa is very bright indeed,” said Aupito William Sio.