Our shared futures: Aotearoa with Te Moana Nui o Kiva
Abstract
Valery will delve into the world of futures and wellbeing of the people of the Blue Pacific Continent: a Cook Islands perspective and unpack ways in which genealogy, wellbeing, inclusiveness and futures interact and provide a way of connecting our sea of islands for shared futures.
Keywords
SDGs, Pacific peoples, Cook Islands, wellbeing, Futures
Author Biography
Valery Wichman
Valery is currently the Lead of Strategy and Innovation at the Pacific Community (SPC) taking up the post in August 2024. She is a lawyer by trade but has worked in the public policy space for the last 12 years with her previous role as Director of Central Policy and Planning Office- Cook Islands Office of the Prime Minister with her most recent project being the development of the Te Ara Akapapa’anga Nui 2020+ or the Cook Islands National Sustainable development Agenda 2020+ which gives a 100 year vision towards Turanga Memeitaki (wellbeing) and puts values at the forefront and people at its core. Valery enjoys researching into Cook Islands history and knowledge, wellbeing and marginalised populations with work on the Wellbeing of the Anuanua (rainbow) Community of the Cook Islands.