AUT marks World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day 2026 was marked at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre, where AUT’s Refugee Education Centre, Pokapū Whakamātua Rerenga, sits at the heart of that beginning.
Based within Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa, the centre works alongside Immigration New Zealand, health providers and community organisations to support people from the moment they arrive.
Linked to AUT’s School of Education, the centre focuses on what comes next. Learners build language, confidence and practical skills that open pathways into further study, employment and life in Aotearoa.
This year’s event took place on Saturday 27 June and marked 75 years since the Refugee Convention, a moment to reflect on a global reality where, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), one in every 70 people is forcibly displaced.
Speakers included Associate Minister of Immigration Hon Casey Costello and UNHCR Representative for Australia and New Zealand Ben Farrell. They were joined by senior AUT leaders, including Chancellor Rob Campbell, Vice-Chancellor Professor Damon Salesa, Assistant Vice-Chancellor Engagement Amy Malcolm, and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Culture and Society Professor Kate Kearins.
Professor Damon Salesa says the work is grounded in partnership and possibility.
“Education changes what is possible,” he says.
“We work alongside government and community partners to support people from the moment they arrive. For many, this is where learning begins again, and we are proud to be part of that journey.”
Head of the Refugee Education Centre Mireille Weldschidt says learners bring a strong sense of purpose.
“Our learners arrive with resilience and determination,” she says.
“We focus on practical learning that builds confidence, strengthens language, and creates clear, achievable steps into study, work, and community life. Our work continues with care and commitment, guided by our promise to remain steadfast until everyone is safe.”
Professor Salesa says the impact continues beyond the centre.
“Over time, we see learners and their families move into further study, including at AUT,” he says.
"They become part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s student community and go on to graduate and build thriving futures here."