27 March 2019 at 9:00 am
Letter from the Acting CE: After Christchurch
On Friday, on behalf of ENZ, I will be attending the Memorial Service to those injured and killed in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch on 15 March.
As Grant McPherson said last week, the tragedy in Christchurch was an assault on the values that New Zealanders hold dear – values of international friendship, tolerance, care and a global outlook. These values are at the core of international education and they are more important now than ever.
While our country grieves, we have been heartened by the compassion we’ve seen across New Zealand – Campus Watch initiatives, vigils, social media engagement and practical help with transport and food, much of it led by students.
We are heartened that the outpouring of support and concern from New Zealanders over the last 12 days has been so visible internationally.
At ENZ, we are continuing our close contact with education providers, international teams and government partners, as well as monitoring and evaluating the latest intelligence and media coverage. We will continue to respond to industry and market needs for information, reassurance and practical support including messages to current and prospective students and families.
Over the next few weeks, we will be incorporating messages of care and support into all our activities and approaches.
ENZ is committed to promoting New Zealand internationally as an inclusive and welcoming study destination, where manaakitanga is shown to all students who join us here.
John Goulter, Acting Chief Executive of Education New Zealand
