From the Principal

Senior prize giving speech

Nga – mihi nui kia koutou katoa – nau mai, haere mai ki te –nei po whakanui o nga a –konga.

Welcome to this very special evening where we celebrate outstanding achievements and share our hopes for the future. Special thanks to Board Chair Andrew Peterson and the incredible support of the trustees and fantastic staff who share the successes of our girls tonight.

I also acknowledge the leadership of many who have inspired us over the year to be ‘more than we ever imagined’. Special thanks to Head Prefect Katie Pearce, Deputy Head Jemma Couillault and Dean Lynn Tonking – the ‘Tonkinator’ – who have unpacked their visionary Ko Ta –tau to deepen our sense of community and belonging. You have collectively woven new insights into our culture and your legacy leaves us enriched.

Just a couple of weeks ago, another auspicious human achievement barrier was broken. It sat alongside myth-busting legends like Sir Edmund Hillary who showed that human life could reach the highest point on earth and survive. It was similar to Roger Bannister’s first sub four-minute mile that was deemed to be humanly impossible. Once broken, the fourminute mile standard was then repeatedly broken by Sir John Walker over one hundred times in his athletic career.

On a cold morning in Vienna on 12 October, another impossible human barrier was broken. The Economist in 2017 reported that it would be impossible until at least 2036. But undeterred, Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour marathon barrier. Some could

It is our hope that young women graduating from Diocesan this year will live wisely and be well prepared. We also hope that you take away a strong sense of identity and culture – this is the key to your resilience in adapting to change and finding new ways to thrive. You have gained highly recognised knowledge. Beyond all other attributes, there is no substitute for knowledge.

argue that the technology involved in pacing the race with the world’s best runners set up the outcome, but in his interview Eliud impressed with his vision. He said, “We can achieve great things and create a beautiful world together.” He did it to show what is possible, that people working together can achieve anything.

Inspiring people have this year shown us many great achievements – women completed their first spacewalk, scientists discovered how to achieve spinal cord reparation, researchers have customised cancer vaccines, we have dexterous robots and cow-free burgers. It is refreshing to see human capability in its fullness. In a world that continues to change as a result of new technologies, societies are grappling, as we are, with the ethical concerns such as freely available pornography on the web. But all freedom comes with careful thinking about rights and responsibilities and results in a range of outcomes including unrealistic expectations for young women. Our concerns in education are about how we protect the positive freedom of wellbeing while expanding human capability and maintaining peace.

Persevering with the concept that increasing economic growth guarantees a higher standard of living has collided with the growing rejection of environmental impact caused when humans and technologies create new revolutions of change. Parts of the Earth are becoming uninhabitable, and the freedom to thrive has been at the cost of others. Important voices are being heard about greater controls, more action. Voices are speaking for those who cannot, to protect the vast diversity of life on our planet. What we can assume is that major changes to the way we seek the freedom of wellness, equity and identity on our planet are in the midst of critical debate and tension.

It is our hope that young women graduating from Diocesan this year will live wisely and be well prepared to thrive amidst these tensions. You have gained highly recognised knowledge. Beyond all other attributes, there is no substitute for knowledge. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” A few years ago, my mother was adding glucose to her tea. Asking why, she told me that it said on the packet that it was a ‘reducing sugar’ and she felt that she would be losing weight. It actually refers to reduction as a chemical reaction and has nothing to do with weight loss. She

Heather McRae with Diocesan’s 2019 duxes Shellie Hu (IB), Jemima Po and Anneke Cummack (NCEA).

also thought that the Electrolux cord had to be perfectly straight before vacuuming so as not to interrupt the flow of electricity. How much of what we learn as knowledge today will be altered and changed over time? We hope that in learning knowledge you have also understood that it is always up for debate, underpinned by new research and ideas. We hope that you use that knowledge wisely and ethically for the good of all others.

We also hope that you take away a strong sense of identity and culture – this is the key to your resilience in adapting to change and finding new ways to thrive. In reflecting your own sense of self and in deciding what you will fight passionately for, appreciate that strength in others as a likeness, a similarity and not a difference. We hope you use this as a sign of respect for all human lives, cultures and religions. Empathy for others, walking in their shoes, and caring will keep you in touch with those amazing things that make us human – those things called feelings. As civil rights activist Maya Angelou said, “We need joy as we need air, we need love as we need water, we need each other as we need the Earth we share.”

All the artificial intelligence at this point cannot yet demonstrate the complexity of human emotions, feelings and empathy. Beyond menial tasks, AI is however learning fast and we will need to consider how we make room for other forms of intelligence. These changes are in our hands and your hands. They will only go as fast as you decide. While technology gives us the capacity to live, work and communicate differently, to even achieve as Eliud Kipchoge demonstrated, what we didn’t think was possible, we must protect the primary reason for our innovation and creativity. It has been designed to provide quality of life – not just for human life, but for all life on our planet. We must all think carefully about our relative freedoms that technology brings, how we protect our wellbeing and the rights of all others while continuing to expand our capability.

While it has always been true that there are challenges ahead, it is up to you to decide the meaning of a quality life. You are at the crux of significant change and that is an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate the deep truth about humans – that we can achieve what we think is impossible. Set your goals, use your voice and harness the value of service as you all go out in this world to make a difference – Ko te –nei te mihi aroha ki a koutou. This is my greeting of love to you.

Ut Serviamus! Heather McRae, Principal