A grand 60th anniversary celebration

Fulbright New Zealand alumni, grantees, friends and members of the public gathered to celebrate the organisation’s 60th anniversary at a public symposium and invitation-only reception held at the University of Auckland on 22 November 2008. Around 130 and 180 people attended the two events respectively, at which they were entertained and informed by past and present Fulbrighters, guest speakers and dignitaries.

Fulbright alumni Witi Ihimaera and Susana Lei’ataua entertain attendees of Fulbright New Zealand’s 60th anniversary celebrations

The afternoon symposium was a fantastic showcase of New Zealand Fulbright alumni and keynote speakers. Visiting Fulbright Distinguished US Scholar Professor Ronald Inglehart from the World Values Survey opened proceedings by discussing traditional and modern ways societies achieve happiness.

Fulbright alumni Witi Ihimaera and Bill Manhire both discussed their Fulbright exchanges to the US and read material they had written there. Witi noted that he had collaborated with many other Fulbright alumni on various writing and film projects since his exchange.

Fulbright alumna Jennifer Shennan spoke to launch the booklet Dancing Fulbrighters: 60 years of dance exchanges on the New Zealand Fulbright programme, which she had written to mark the anniversary and document the contribution of the Fulbright programme to her own creative field (see Page 7 of this newsletter for details on how to order a copy). As a special treat, Jennifer invited local dancers Owen Scott and Mary Jane O’Reilly to perform a menuet in honour of the programme’s founder Senator J. William Fulbright.

Film-making Fulbright alumna Sima Urale showed examples of her work, and New Zealand keynote speaker Professor Paul Callaghan discussed the life of Novel Prize-winning Fulbright alumnus Alan MacDiarmid and other examples of scientific exchange between New Zealand and the US. Various current and recent grantees reported briefly on their Fulbright exchanges, before Fulbright alumni Susana Lei’ataua and Gareth Farr closed the symposium by performing songs they had written collaboratively in New York earlier in 2008.

The evening reception was a wonderful opportunity for alumni and key supporters of the Fulbright programme to reunite, reminisce and celebrate the 60th anniversary. Speakers included Fulbright New Zealand’s Chairperson, Barbara Johnson, the Governor-General of New Zealand, Hon Anand Satyanand, and US Ambassador to New Zealand, Hon William McCormick. All commented on the far-reaching effects of Fulbright exchanges beyond its direct participants. As Barbara Johnson stated:

“Many of you, our treasured alumni, were the fortunate people who experienced those exchanges firsthand, and I’m sure your lives were changed for the better. The rest of us too have benefited from having such well educated and enlightened citizens among us. The Fulbright programme was designed to have a person-to-person multiplier effect and that is one of its many strengths.”

Guests enjoyed two musical performances and food from American, New Zealand and Pacific-themed menus. Our thanks to everyone who attended or otherwise supported these and several other 60th anniversary events during the past year. A special commemorative publication will be available shortly.

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