Nau mai, haere mai: Welcome to the Aotearoa Futures Forum 2025
Abstract
On behalf of Think Beyond and Unquiet ®, we are delighted to welcome you—our keynotes, presenters and attendees, - to this gathering of ideas, insights, and imagination.
The Aotearoa Futures Forum is a grassroots event grounded in the belief that futures thinking is stronger when it is shared. We are honoured to host such a diverse and vibrant community of practitioners, educators, creatives, change-makers, and dreamers—each bringing a unique perspective to the kōrero (conversation).
This event would not have been possible without the support of Alice Dimmond, Matt Scott, and Jane Treadwell-Hoye. Their generosity, time, and belief in this kaupapa have helped bring this vision to life. We are deeply grateful for their quiet leadership and steady presence behind the scenes.
Over the course of the day, we invite you to be both generous and curious. We encourage you to listen deeply, challenge thoughtfully, and contribute with openness and respect. Let’s co-create a space that welcomes vulnerability and celebrates diverse ways of knowing, doing, and being.
This is a space for possibility—a place where ideas can spark, collaborations can form, and seeds of change can be planted. Let’s make the most of this time together.
Ngā mihi nui,
Cheryl and Hafsa
Author Biography
Dr Sheryl Doig
Dr Cheryl Doig is a futurist, weaver and connector, often known as the #futuresaunty. Cheryl has a passion for growing futures literacy and strategic foresight through her company, Think Beyond. She is the founder of the Ōtautahi Futures Collective and plays a major role in Aotearoa and Oceania futures initiatives.
Dr Hafsa Ahmed
The Optimistic Futurist Hafsa is a certified futurist, academic, and social impact leader passionate about equity, leadership, and community empowerment. As a leadership guide and futurist, she helps individuals and organisations examine their narratives to curate purpose-driven, intentional futures.
She is an academic, co-founder of the Lady Khadija Charitable Trust and founder of Unquiet