Matariki and Peace
Did you know that the concept of peace is intrinsic to Matariki?
For Māori and many other New Zealanders, the appearance of Matariki, the Pleiades star cluster, is a time to remember those we love, including those who have passed on. It is also a time of thankfulness, joy, family/whānau and peace. Since 2022, Matariki has become a public holiday—the first that specifically celebrates an important event in the Māori maramataka (calendar). There are now many beautiful children’s books about Matariki and the eight other stars that make up the Matariki cluster.
A visual treat is the work of sand artist Marcus Winter. This short YouTube video,
The Stars of Matariki – Ngā Whetu o Matariki, tells the story of each star.
Watch it here:
The Stars of Matariki – Ngā Whetu o Matariki
For adults, Te Ara, New Zealand’s online encyclopedia, provides a detailed history and description of Matariki and its significance. Read more here:
Matariki – Māori New Year
The Matariki holiday provides us with a moment to pause, remember past loved ones, be grateful that we live in a peaceful part of the world, and reach out to family, friends and beyond.
By: Janet Pereira
Peace Foundation Member
Once a Peer Mediator, Always a Peacemaker: Stories from Our Cool Schools’ Coordinators
Jasmine Massey
Kia ora, ko Jasmine ahau. I was a Cool Schools Peer Mediator at Whau Valley School in Year 6, 20 years ago. I recall wanting to give service at school and help others, and I enjoyed spending lunchtimes supporting students as a peer mediator. Now, as the Cool Schools Coordinator at my kura, I am excited to be introducing the programme. I see huge value in supporting ākonga to better understand themselves and guiding them to resolve conflict in a managed way through peer mediation.
Rahul Rodricks
The Peace Foundation has a vision to encourage people to develop peaceful relationships by teaching communication, co-operation, respect and conflict resolution skills. From almost 20 years ago, when I became a Peer Mediator, to now, as I implement the programme in my school, it is easy to see the positive impact these life skills have. With the media becoming more divisive and the world more fractured and exclusionary, it is more important than ever to teach students empowering conversations that facilitate respect, understanding and safety for all.
Ngā mihi nui,
Rahul Rodricks
Cinnamon Davies
As a student back in 2003, I trained in the Cool Schools Peer Mediation Programme. I still remember putting on my mediator vest and heading out to the playground, learning for the first time that I could help my peers work through their problems simply by listening. At the time, I did not realise those lessons were becoming a permanent part of who I am. Those early skills in empathy and communication stayed with me long after I left primary school, shaping how I handle challenges in adult life.
Coming back to this mahi now as a Coordinator is a true full-circle moment. It is special to be on the other side of the process, watching today’s tamariki find their voices just as I did more than twenty years ago. To me, this is what sustainable impact really looks like. It is not just a programme for a school term, but a toolkit that stays with you for life. I am living proof that the seeds planted through The Peace Foundation continue to grow, and I am proud to help the next generation find their own path towards peace.
Introducing The Peace Foundation Interns and Mentee: Journeys from Germany and Cambodia to Aotearoa New Zealand
Anna-Maria
Kia ora, ko Anny tōku ingoa, which is short for Anna-Maria. I am an intern from Germany, where I am studying towards a bachelor’s degree in Social Anthropology and English Literature. One of my many passions is the art of communication. Imagine how many problems in this world could be solved if more people had better communication skills.
The projects I pursued during my internship were mainly focused on finding sponsors and supporters for this year’s Youth Peace Symposium. It was important to me that the businesses and organisations I wrote to align well with our theme: Peace & Sustainability! Other tasks included working with Sarah on her brilliant social media plan and supporting Dianna and Christina at the training.
When you are reading this, my wonderful internship at the Peace Foundation will have come to an end. I have only been here for three months, but from day one, there has never been a day in which I did not feel like a valued part of the Peace Foundation whānau. That I feel is truly special!
Ratanak NA (Nak)
Kia ora! My name is Ratanak NA (NAK) from Battambang, Cambodia. From March to May, I joined the Peace Foundation through the support of the Cambodia-Laos Young Leaders Programme.
During this time, I learned a lot about peacebuilding programmes and community activities. I also had the opportunity to visit schools, meet peace practitioners, and connect with organisations working on peace education with youth and local communities through the support of the Peace Foundation team.
One of the most meaningful experiences was joining the Peer Mediation Training. Through this training, I learned how to become a mediator who can help solve problems peacefully. I also learned how to support and train youth leaders and teachers to become mediators in their schools and communities.
The mentorship from the Peace Foundation was very valuable for me. It helped me understand more about how peacebuilding works in New Zealand, and how I apply these lessons in my local community in Cambodia. The Peer Support Mediation Training especially inspired me because I can bring this knowledge back to strengthen my project, “Young Peace Leaders for Sustainable Peacebuilding in Battambang Community.”
Even though my mentorship has come to an end, I truly hope we will continue to stay connected, support one another, and work together to promote sustainable peace in our communities and beyond.
Sarah Helbig
Kia ora, my name is Sarah Helbig, and I am very excited to have joined the Peace Foundation whānau as an intern at the beginning of April. I am currently studying International Social Work at the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg, in Germany. In my past and especially during my studies, I developed a strong interest and passion in social issues such as global peace, building bridges between people, community work, social responsibility and helping to create positive change in this world. In my internship here I have deepened my understanding of those topics, as well as how an NGO works.
In a world where conflicts are increasing, I believe it is extremely important to teach skills at an early stage and to equip people with tools that enable them to resolve conflicts peacefully and foster respectful and constructive coexistence. I see great social value in the work of the Peace Foundation. This was the reason and motivation for choosing this organisation.
As an intern, I am involved in different kinds of tasks, from social media to sponsorship, and from library projects to contributing to the daily office work.
I have had the privilege of gaining new insights, perspectives and experience. I have learned that there are many ways of peacebuilding and what each of them can look like.
I am looking forward to the next three months at the Peace Foundation. I hope to learn more about peacebuilding in New Zealand and around the world and be inspired by working with such a motivated and amazing team. I also look forward to contributing my own ideas to the work of the Peace Foundation.
Celebrating Pink Shirt Day: Snapshots from 15 May 2026
In May each year, Aotearoa New Zealand celebrates Pink Shirt Day – a campaign that promotes inclusion, highlights anti-bullying messages, and fosters the celebration of diversity. Led by The Mental Health Foundation, there is a focus theme and free resources to support kura, workplaces, community groups, and individuals to join the campaign. Supported by Cotton On, it’s always great to see the t-shirt design for each year’s campaign.
The Peace Foundation is proud to get behind The Mental Health Foundation, to highlight the very important mahi they do in Aotearoa. This year our internal team and whānau enjoyed whanaungatanga through kōrero, kai, and creative activities at the office. The celebration continued, as our team then headed out for a Hīkoi Rangimārie along Karangahape Road and Queen Street. We shared the important ‘Kōrero Mai – Speak Up, Kōrero Atu – Stand Together, Mauri Tū Mauri Ora – Stop Bullying’ message with our local community as we went, and then wrote positive peace messages in chalk at Aotea Square. This year, we also invited our Peace Foundation kura/schools to send us photos of their Pink Shirt Day events. Together,let’s build more inclusive and peaceful communities!
2026 Mediators' Big Day Out
Tracy Scott, our facilitator based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, ran an excellent Mediators’ Big Day Out event on 26 May. Lyttleton Primary School hosted this year’s MBDO, where Cool Schools’ Peer Mediators came together to share their mahi through presentations, learn alongside each other, and participate in fun activities and games that they brought along for everyone to enjoy. Tamariki from Lyttleton Primary School, Te Raekura Redcliffs School, Middleton Grange, Opawa School and Tai Tapu School had a great time celebrating the impact they have in their kura.
Attendees were inspired by this year’s keynote speaker, Peace Foundation Youth Programme Coordinator, Olivia Shimasaki. Olivia ran an awesome presentation about Personal Peace, Interpersonal Peace, and Community Peace.
Dianna Cotter, our new Head of Peace Education, also joined this year’s MBDO. She got everyone moving by teaching her hip-hop rap, ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’, to reinforce the message that peace begins with us ‘…Inside your head, is a beautiful mind, and in your heart, there is peace to find. What we need, begins with you; if you’re at peace, then I am too.’
Peace in ACTION: Photos from our latest CS & LtPM Trainings, Workshops & Network hui
Auckland Cool Schools Network Hui
Auckland Cool Schools’ Network Hui
It was fantastic to see such strong support from Cool Schools’ Coordinators at our West Auckland Regional Network Hui on the 20th of May. Congratulations to the schools that attended and took home some great prizes! A big thank you to Flanshaw Road School for being such wonderful hosts. At the hui we showcased The Peace Foundation’s online shop. This is packed with great resources to support your Cool Schools and LtPM programmes. Visit our online shop here:
Auckland Cool Schools Coordinator’s Workshop
Auckland & Wellington Cool Schools’ Workshops
Our Cool Schools’ workshops in Tāmaki Makaurau and Wellington brought together educators from across Aotearoa for two inspiring days of learning, connection and skill-building. In Tāmaki Makaurau (12–13 March), teachers gathered at the Rawene Community Centre, while in Wellington (6–7 May), we were warmly hosted by Johnsonville School. Participants left the workshops with greater confidence, practical tools, and fresh ideas to establish or strengthen peer mediation services at their kura. We were excited to see more kura creating safe, inclusive communities by reducing minor conflicts through peer mediation. Ngā mihi to everyone who joined us – we look forward to staying in touch and seeing your programmes grow!
Wellington Cool Schools Coordinator’s Workshop
Cool Schools Training at St Joseph’s Catholic School – Ashburton
Cool Schools’ Trainings at St Joseph’s Catcholic School Ashburton & Our Lady of the Assumption School
We had two fantastic Cool Schools’ sessions in Te Waipounamu in May. On 27 May, we delivered Peer Mediation Training at St Joseph’s School, Ashburton with Year 7–8 ākonga and kaimahi. Students showed great leadership and rangatiratanga potential. On 28 May, we returned to Ōtautahi for a Peer Mediation Revisit Training at Our Lady of the Assumption School, Hoon Hay. Here we worked with kaiako Miranda and an awesome group of ākonga in their next steps as Cool Schools’ Peace Ambassadors. Ngā mihi to both kura for prioritising this important kaupapa—we’re excited to support more schools to build safe, inclusive communities through peer mediation.
Cool Schools Training at Our Lady of The Assumption
LtPM Training at Papatoetoe High School
We had the privilege of working with kura/schools in both Tāmaki Makaurau and Taupō through our peer mediation programmes. At Papatoetoe High School on 5 June, rangatahi/students engaged deeply in Leadership through Peer Mediation training, supported by Jewels and her kaimahi team. Students showed strong whakaaro/understanding and rangatira/leadership potential as Peace Ambassadors.
LtPM Training at Papatoetoe High School
Youth Peace Week 2026
The Youth Peace Week 2026 Toolkit is here! This year’s theme: Peace and Sustainability Rangimārie me te Toitūtanga, explores how peaceful communities and a healthy environment work together to create a better future for all. New for 2026, we’ve developed three dedicated toolkits for tamariki, rangatahi, and the wider community—so there’s something for everyone to get involved with. Packed with engaging activities and practical ideas, the toolkits will help you celebrate Youth Peace Week from 3–9 August. Register for free on our website and receive your toolkit straight to your inbox.
More information and registration:
Click here
Our Top Pick for Secondary Students and Adult Readers:
The Future Is Peace - A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land
Written by Aziz Abu Sarah & Maoz Inon
ISBN: 9798217086511
Brave new pathways to peace in the Middle East
In the present context of ongoing tension, injury, death, displacement of millions of people and destruction of critical infrastructure, it is hard to believe reconciliation is possible in the Middle East. Here, however, is a remarkable example of how brave individuals can make a difference. Two Israeli and Palestinian men deliberately choose understanding, forgiveness and peace over ongoing hatred.
If you are ‘tight on time’, listen to the Radio NZ interview with guests Maoz Inon, an Israeli, and Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian. Both men have lost family members in the ongoing conflicts. Yet both have made a conscious decision to seek reconciliation and find a pathway forward. Here is the link to their 23-minute interview with Mihingarangi Forbes – Saturday Morning, Radio NZ – Choosing brotherhood in the Middle East.
Maoz’s and Aziz’s ideas are explored in more detail in their recent New York Times best seller, The Future is Peace. In this they urge us to genuinely listen to each other’s stories, in order to hear and feel the experience of others. In this process, we develop empathy and understanding. The book tells the stories of individual Israeli and Palestinian women and men. With each story we gain insight into their histories, day-to-day life, aspirations, and the ongoing horrors of war and displacement.
Our Special Pick for Primary School Children:
A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home
Written by Maysa Odeh
Illustrated by Aliaa Betawi
The O’Brien Press Ltd., 2024
Dublin, Ireland
ISBN: 978 – 1 – 78849 – 555 – 4
Suitable for primary aged (4-10+)
This story is based on Maysa’s (the author) mother’s family, why they left Palestine in 1967, and how their homeland and identity as Palestinian remain dear to them. Both author and illustrator are children of Palestinian refugees.
As a child, Maysa had wanted to ask questions about their distant homeland but was too shy. In this book Falasteen asks these questions. Bewildered by her teacher saying that Palestine does not exist on the world map, Falasteen asks her grandfather, grandmother and mother why? Each reassures her that Palestine does exist. Her grandfather draws a map of Palestine identifying places dear to him and her grandmother explains why they left their home, family and friends.
That night, snuggled in bed, Falasteen’s mother explains that ‘Sometimes people live in countries, sometimes countries live in people. Palestine lives in you.’ At the end of the book, the author tells in more detail how her grandmother with eight children fled the 1967 war. She also gives an overview of the history of the Palestinian people, the loss of their lands, and the ongoing challenges in their lives. Aliaa’s whimsical illustrations bring a lightness to this heart rendering story.
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