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National | Awards

Young Māori leader to receive Queen's Award

The chairperson of the national youth council, Te Kahui Ururoa, Ezekiel Raui is one of two people from New Zealand who will receive the Queen’s Young Leaders Award at a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London, on Tuesday 26 June.

The award recognises the work youth across the Commonwealth do to help people in their community and beyond.

Raui, from Auckland New Zealand, works to encourage more men to address mental health issues as well as encourage them to become leaders in their own communities.

He has developed a leadership programme for Māori, Native American and Polynesian students at his former school as well as a peer-support programme called Tu Kotahi to help students face the day-to-day struggles of mental health.

He established Te Rau Matatini, the National Centre for Māori Health, Māori Workforce Development and Excellence, in order to promote young Maori voices in local and national government decision-making across the country.

This award allows Raui to take part in a year-long leadership course that is run by the University of Cambridge and will receive personalised mentoring.

Ezekiel is set to travel to London at the end of the month alongside Alexia Hilbertidou, who will also be receiving the same award, to join 240 other award winners from 53 Commonwealth countries who are also working to make the world a better place.