PALM 2025: Connecting cultures and inspiring rangatahi to be leaders

July 17, 2025

The fifth biennial Peaceful Action Leadership Movement (PALM) symposium was an inspirational and eye-opening experience for the more than 80 rangatahi from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds who attended the recent four-day event in Upper Hutt.

While most were rangatahi Māori, other young people from communities as diverse as Afghanistan, Vietnam, Samoa and Tonga also attended.

E Tū Whānau has organised and run PALM since 2017 for rangatahi who are actively engaged with the E Tū Whānau kaupapa and who are identified as emerging kahukura.

The themes for PALM 2025 centred around culture, employment readiness and hauora. These themes were explored by different speakers and through workshops and expos.

Young people at PALM 2025 are pictured sitting around a large wooden table. They are of various ethnicities and all have their hands stretched out in front of them. Many of them are smiling and looking up.
Whanaungatanga underlies everything rangatahi do at PALM.

The PALM kaupapa

PALM is powered by the vision that rangatahi can bring about meaningful and positive change within their whānau and community through sharing ideas, knowledge and cultural practices.

Importantly, it provides young people with the opportunity to make lasting connections with like-minded people. They’re also able to build interconnected leadership networks across the country with the potential to last a lifetime.

Attendees at this year’s retreat took that kaupapa to heart. They seized the opportunity to connect and experience each other’s cultures while acquiring skills and knowledge to help them be leaders and kahukura within their own communities.

“Because of PALM I thought about my own culture and family and understood who I was. It made me proud of my identity and I felt valued.” Rangatahi attendee

Opportunities to strengthen cultural identities at PALM 2025

Throughout day two, rangatahi were able to share their cultures and its histories through teaching traditional dances. Afghans showcased their lively Dabke dance, which is normally performed at weddings and festivals. The Pacific rōpū performed an energetic and elegant Ura wowing everyone with dynamic hip movements and upbeat dancing to drumbeats.

Others were encouraged to share their stories in a writing workshop led by spoken word poet, Te Kahu Rolleston. Many felt inspired to stand up and share what they had written, with some young people who’ve only lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for a short feeling relaxed and confident enough to stand and tell their new friends about their journeys.

Rangatahi said the whole process clarified the priorities they want to pursue to enact meaningful change in their whānau and community.  

“I learnt how to immerse my culture in every aspect of life. I gained confidence in my voice and own opinions…everyone is on a different journey and it isn’t hard to understand one another.” Rangatahi attendee  

A large group of young people of various cultures and ethnicities stand in a circle at PALM 2025. They are all facing inwards, watching 5 young people who are dancing together. Many people appear to be clapping.
A highlight was rich and diverse cultural experiences, including a traditional Afghan Dabke dance.

Inspiring career paths at PALM 2025

Employment readiness was a key focus of PALM 2025. Rangatahi explored new career paths by interacting with 10 different employment providers. These included Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, New Zealand Defence Force and MSD Jobs and Skills hub.

Rangatahi were able to consider careers that they had never thought of before.

“I never thought I would want to join any sort of force, but after the expo I want to join the police force.” Rangatahi attendee

In this photo, a member of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) hosts a stall at the careers expo. He is pointing at a document on a table. On the other side of the table, a small group of young men are looking on. Various FENZ documents, posters and other branded items are visible on the table and surrounding walls.
During the careers expo, rangatahi discussed the requirements for joining Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

“This was one of the most interactive career expos I have been to. All the stalls had something super fun and it was interesting to learn about them all.” Rangatahi attendee

The employment readiness day allowed rangatahi to plan career goals and the steps needed to achieve them. Some planned to enrol in online courses and talk to a careers advisor when they got home.

A young man tries a welding simulator. He is seated at at a table wearing a welding mask and holding a welding torch to a digital screen. The screen is linked to a welding simulator machine. An older man stands nearby and appears to be instructing the young man. Behind them, various other people are partially visible as they look on.
Rangatahi tried simulated welding with Engineering Apprenticeships NZ at the careers expo.

Looking to the future

PALM 2025 inspired rangatahi to take what they have learned back to their communities. Armed with new skills and knowledge, attendees felt more confident to implement meaningful change in their whānau and communities.

“Before I came, I was like a block of concrete. Now I’ve been watered and turned into a flower with much to offer and teach.” Rangatahi attendee  

They were also keen to bring more rangatahi to future PALM events.

Want more?

Read about Rangatahi development and other E Tū Whānau Priority Action Areas in Mahere Rautaki Framework for Change 2019 – 2024. 

Read about previous PALM events in 2021 and 2023.

Join the E Tū Whānau communities on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.