Youth hub opening this year

A new youth hub is due to open in Wellington in the second half of this year.

Named Te Tai Ohinga, it will be located on Willis Street next to Saint Peter’s Church.

The youth hub will be a safe and welcoming space for young people to study, make new connections, get access to support, hang out, and simply have fun.

The creation of a youth space was initially identified as a priority in the 2021 Strategy for Children and Young People, and Te Tai Ohinga has since become a key outcome of the neke Promise – Wellington City Council’s joint programme to make the central city safer, more vibrant, and welcoming.

The name Te Tai Ohinga was gifted by Kura Moeahu, the Chair of Te R anganui o Te ti Awa, who has been working with supporting the council to understand the history and narratives of ke.

“Te Tai refers to the tides of the sea, and Ohinga is a word referencing youth which is derived from Taranaki and connects the opportunity for youth in P eke to make a resurgence now that we have a safe space coming for them to hang out.

“There will always be young people in eke, just as the tide will always ebb and flow,” Kura says.

Community connection is such an important pillar of well-being, especially for young people. As Councillor Tamatha Paul explains, it’s about having a place to stand and feel part of something bigger.

“Over the past three years our rangatahi have spent many months separated from peers, studying from home, and have missed out on so many of the social experiences of being a teenager.

“[That is] not to mention the loss of the Central Library and Reading Cinema complex which were both popular spaces to hang out.

“The hope is that this hub will bring them together, instilling a sense of turangawaewae – a place where they feel empowered and connected and can be themselves.”

The space will be run by The Y, which also manages Te Pokap apori, the inner-city community centre on Manners Street.

Integrating the two facilities’ outcomes together will mean a greater range of programmes and services, bringing greater benefits to the community as a whole.

The Y has decades of experience managing similar spaces with a vision to build strong children, families and communities.

In-depth workshops held with Wellington City Youth Council and young people from across the city are helping shape the final vision for the youth hub, and bring the architects plans to life.

Construction is scheduled to begin soon, with Te Tai Ohinga expected to open its doors later this year with an official launch.

Council has allocated funding in the Longterm Plan to support the interim hub for six years, as suitable spaces are likely to replace this in Te Matapihi Central Library when it reopens in 2026.

Global Peace Movement Marks a Decade of the Citizen-led Peacebuilding Efforts

Peace events that commemorate citizen-led in 89 locations across 59 countries in May. On May 25, 5,000 participants were gathered at the Peace Gate of Seoul Olympic Park in South Korea, and thousands of other individuals around the world, including in New Zealand, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, and Germany.

Officially named “HWPL’s 10th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace and the Peace Walk”, the global events are held by an international NGO named Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration Nations Economic and Social Council, with the joint auspices of public and private Recalling HWPL’s peace activities for the past 10 years, Chairman Lee Man-hee said, “Since we pledged to work together for world peace 10 years ago, we have been calling for peace all over the world. We have advocated that peace should be taught at home and at school, and that everyone should become in Mindanao, Philippines to raise the voice of peace and we were promised not to begin war again.” He also emphasized, “Everyone should be one under the title of peace and work together to create a good world and make it a legacy for future generations. This is what we need to do in this era in which we live.”

In the event, the “Joint Statement of the 10th Anniversary of the Declaration of World Peace” was unveiled. The statement said that the Declaration developed into the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War” (DPCW), to pursue “a transition from the rule of power to the rule of law” based on principles of “democracy, justice, civil liberties and equality, religious freedom and responsibility.” It further said that the decade of peace-building achieved millions of participants joining in inter-religious dialogues, peace education, advocacy of peace to national leaders and a network of youth in over 120 countries.

Through the joint statement, HWPL and participating organizations affirmed their commitment to institutionalizing peace through international cooperation, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 “Peace, justice and strong institutions.” and raising awareness and provide education and promote best practices for the participation of civil society.

HWPL announced its ambitious goal to garner the support of 10 million citizens through their signatures to advocate for the establishment of an international law for peace. Additionally, they have organized various overseas commemorative events aimed at fostering peace within local communities around the world. Membership registration, information about peace projects, and reading the full text of and supporting the DPCW www.hwpl.kr.