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PRESS RELEASE
It wasn't a conference, it was a Confluence: “the premier gathering of the New Zealand and international outdoor sector this decade”. That’s how organisers, Outdoors New Zealand, described the International Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference held in Christchurch, January 21-24.
“Locally, nationally and globally, the outdoor community is experiencing rapid change," said Laura Adams, Chief Executive of Outdoor New Zealand. "Sharing knowledge and experiences is vital for our future. Our work as an outdoor community is not simply to understand a few new ideas, but to change a world view."
The Confluence, sponsored by Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) and hosted by Outdoors New Zealand, brought the outdoor sector together for four days with seminars, workshops and speakers from eight countries across the globe. The Confluence incorporated six key strands: Research and Theory, Teaching and Learning, Sustainability and Environment, Risk Management and Safety, Applied Theory and Practice, and Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Tourism.
The Confluence was opened in Maori by Kevin Prime, a Board Member of Outdoors New Zealand, followed by the ONZ Board Chair, Hon. Noel Scott. In his address to delegates, the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Hon. Clayton Cosgrove, spoke about his desire for increasing outdoor activity amongst New Zealanders. Laura Adams, Chief Executive of Outdoors New Zealand, welcomed delegates to The Confluence and shared her vision of creating change in the outdoor sector: "We are voyaging together to discover a new world. It is up to us, together, to journey forth in search of new practices and new ideas. The Confluence provides a fundamental opportunity for us to do this work." Finally, Dr Alan Ewert, Professor at Indiana University, USA, spoke on “Our Place on the Porch: The Role that Outdoor Education and Recreation Play in Society” in his keynote address.
270 national and international delegates attended the four-day conference. Pre-conference workshops and post-conference activities augmented The Confluence, creating a nine-day international outdoor symposium, the first of its kind in New Zealand. Organisers and delegates agree that IOREC 08 was a resounding success, with plans for the event to be held every four years in New Zealand. |
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